I Only See You
by BellaDameNoir
Summary: AU: Catalina - a beautiful island with millions of tourists visiting each year. A small community of permanent residents live in the city of Avalon. Welcome to neighborhood, Fitzgerald Grant.
1. The Meet Cute

**The Meet-Cute**

"So when were you going to tell me that you met him?"

Olivia looked up from her computer to find her young assistant Pauline eyeing her skeptically, the accusation was evident - deliberately withholding vital information, which to Pauline was tantamount to violating holy sacrament. Pauline cherished her hard earned title as 'Gossip Queen' and found it intolerable if there was any fragment of newsworthy tidbits she was not aware of. She had crossed her arms and began tapping her foot to emphasize her impatience and irritation.

"What?...Him?...Who is Him?"

Pauline sighed and looked at Olivia as if there was only one Him in the entire world and she couldn't understand why Olivia had not caught on. She rolled her eyes and finally said, "Fitzgerald Thomas Grant III!...You met him and you didn't tell me! So what's he like; everyone says he's the most gorgeous man they have ever seen. Is he really gorgeous? I keep trying to run into him all over town but I've never seen him. How is it that you have all the luck to run into him? You're not even looking for a man…I am!"

She had a tendency to overreact and Olivia found it highly doubtful that 'everyone' was talking about Fitzgerald Grant; although the description of his striking good looks was pretty accurate. Pauline was getting worked up; Olivia watched as she struggled to keep her mini skirt down as her arms flailed about to during her tirade. It was comical; she was getting hot and bothered over a man she never seen before!

"Pauline, calm down…I have seen him and he is attractive. I did not tell you because….it was no big deal," Olivia shrugged for effect but she wasn't very convincing. Pauline looked at her suspiciously and was about to say something else when the phone rang. She huffed at the interruption and left the office. Olivia heard her answer, "Avalon Vet, how can I help you?" and breathed a sigh of relief. She had dodged a bullet. Pauline was relentless; she wouldn't give up until she extracted every detail of her meeting with Fitz, then she would quickly see through her pretense of not caring.

She had seen him; talked to him and was surprised to find that he had captured nearly all her thoughts since then. She certainly was not going to let Pauline know; not unless she wanted it spread throughout the entire community within the next hour.

Taking advantage of Pauline's absence and the moment of solitude, she began to relive the event that had been on constant replay in her mind for the past 24 hours.

XXX

"Good Morning, Louisa," Olivia had said to the cheerful elderly coffee shop owner. It was her Sunday ritual – a 3 mile run around the island then stop in at the coffee shop for a breakfast sandwich and a tall green tea with lemon.

"Good Morning Olivia. You're a little early, I'm afraid I don't have it ready for you just yet. Give me a few." They were busy this morning – the coming and goings of tourists attracted to the island's good natured community and year-round beautiful weather.

"No worries. I was up earlier than usual this morning so I got done with my run faster….I'll just wait."

"Gus, Olivia's here!" Louisa yelled back to her husband in the kitchen. He yelled back, "Tell her she's early!" Both Olivia and Louisa laughed at his remark. Gus was a burly old man with a heart of gold.

As Olivia paid for her order, Louisa squealed in excitement and said, "Oh hey, Olivia did you meet our newest Avalon resident?...Fitzgerald," gesturing in the direction of someone standing next to Olivia.

Olivia turned and looked up to find the most attractive man she had seen in her entire life. He was tall; practically towering over her, with eyes the perfect shade of blue – somewhere between the clear blue sky and the crystal ocean. He smiled and her mouth dropped; she almost gasped at the sight of him; he was just too beautiful. How did she not notice him when she first walked in?

"Good Morning, nice to meet you, Olivia, I'm Fitz," he said as he held out his hand for her. That voice sent vibrations through her body and would likely haunt her in her dreams at night. It was deep, seductive and warming.

She was in a trance; staring at him; virtually immobile; wondering how he came to be here, standing in front of her, taking her breath away, leaving her speechless. As the awkward silence stretched on, Louisa cleared her throat and chuckled; Olivia finally blinked and remembered her manners. She groaned inwardly as she noticed that not only was Louisa watching her reaction but so was Gus as he peeked through the kitchen window.

She took his handshake; she wouldn't hold his hand too long; that would be too obvious. "It's nice to meet you. Welcome to Avalon." She thought to reclaim her hand quickly, turn away, find a little corner of the shop to compose herself and calm her heart rate. He had other ideas. He held her hand longer; his thumb was rubbing circles on the back of it. Did he know he was doing that? Was he aware of the affect his entire presence had on her? He only released her hand when Louisa said his order was ready.

When he turned to get his food, Olivia took the opportunity to scurry away to a corner and hide behind a newspaper. She was embarrassed. She never, ever acted like that. She was a grown woman, not a love struck teenager. She could appreciate handsome men without acting ridiculously smitten. She had been around attractive men before; she knew how to maintain her self-control, well….normally. She kept her head down, glued to whatever words were on the newspaper, although she read the same line about four times already. She would not look at him again; she could not; she dared not.

"So tell me…how long have you lived in Avalon?" the rich baritone voice was talking to her again.

_Oh no._ Olivia looked up with wide eyes. She couldn't understand why he wanted to sit with her. There were multiple empty tables in the shop, couldn't he sit somewhere else? She unconsciously pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and realized how bad she looked. She had just finished running; her hair was up in a ponytail under a baseball cap and she had on no makeup. She looked a mess. She was thankful that the dark sports bra she had on would hide any sweat stains.

Her appearance in comparison to his blatant beauty made her feel like she was lacking in some way. She didn't like that feeling, so the only answer was to make him go away or plan her escape, quickly.

She cleared her throat and said, "Um, yes, I mean…I've been here a while." Olivia knew she was being rude; her tone was curt, uninviting, but she couldn't seem to control it.

Fitz noticed her nervousness at his attention but couldn't understand it. From the time she walked in to the coffee shop he had not been able to stop staring at her. She had an amazing body; her small frame, flat stomach; perfectly shaped ass held his complete attention. Even from underneath the cap, he could see her natural beauty; but then she laughed and he was completely drawn in.

"What do you do here?" he asked, taking a sip from his coffee.

"I'm a vet…Avalon Vet Hospital," she hurried to explain. _Where was her food? _She was intensely uncomfortable under his watchful gaze. She looked over at Louisa, silently urging her to hurry up with the order but Louisa merely smiled in her direction and turned back to wiping down the counter. She was stalling on purpose.

_She isn't very good at conversation_, he thought. Or maybe he just needed to help her relax. Maybe they just needed to keep talking. "So I hear there's a welcoming committee, are you on it?"

"No," she responded too quickly and far too blunt, "I'm not but I'm sure they will take good care of you." He frowned at her abruptness and she frowned in return, still trying to figure him out. She wasn't usually skittish or leery of strangers; living in Catalina made her accustomed to the constant presence of tourists around the city. But there was something different about him that threw her off balance. Butterflies were in her stomach; her blood was racing; unusual feelings for her, ones she hadn't felt in a very, very long time.

Her attention was turned when the coffee door chimed and two beautiful young girls, blond-haired twins, entered and walked up to him.

"Oh hey…. Cassie, Alex, where did you put Buttercup?" Fitz asked when he noticed them. They were both smiling and staring at Olivia. Olivia suddenly found her smile - _he's married, unavailable, thank God_. She hadn't spotted a wedding band but that was no matter; some people chose not to wear one.

"We tied her up outside. We didn't know if they let dogs inside," one offered as they both took a seat at the table – one next to Olivia and one next to Fitz. Olivia shifted in her seat; she was uneasy; recognizing how awkward this could look to his wife when she finally joined them and saw a stranger sitting with her husband and children.

"Ok thanks….Cassandra, Alexandra, this is Olivia?" he didn't recall if she had given him a last name. "I'm sorry Olivia what's your last name?"

"Pope…Olivia Pope. It's so nice to meet you both. I just met your father a couple minutes ago," Olivia rushed to explain, lest they think something inappropriate was going on. "How do you like Avalon so far?" Olivia's entire attitude had changed. She was now warm and inviting to both girls; looking from one to the other - completely different from the cold front she gave Fitz.

Fitz leaned back in his seat, amazed at her sudden transformation.

Both girls giggled and Olivia frowned in confusion, thinking she said something wrong. She looked back at Fitz for clarity; he chuckled and said, "I'm not their father; I'm their uncle."

"Oh," was all Olivia could say. She thought for a moment she was safe. She certainly could have contained her attraction to him if he was married and had two young daughters. Now she couldn't hide her disappointment; her shoulders visibly slumped, which made Fitz frown again. He couldn't understand why that information seemed to deflate her. He wanted the Olivia back that was with them two seconds ago.

"Girls….Olivia is a doctor, a Veterinarian."

One of the two girls, the one seated next to her, started beaming with a big, bright smile at the mention of Olivia's job. Olivia couldn't yet tell them apart but she believed it was the one named Cassandra. "That is so cool. I love animals – horses mostly. I have two horses back home – Jessie and Scotty. I want to be a large animal vet when I grow up."

Olivia was impressed. "Really…well then you will have to ask your uncle to bring you by the hospital and I can show you around."

Fitz spoke up drawing her attention back to him, "That won't be a problem at all." The look was clear, the gleam in his eye unmistakable; he was definitely flirting with her. She was all of a sudden very hot and needed to get back out in the cool morning air.

Louisa saved her. She called for Olivia to come and pick up her food. Olivia smiled and said goodbye to Fitz and his nieces before hastily leaving the table and retrieving her order. She couldn't get out of there fast enough. But by the time she reached the door to exit, Fitz was there; being a gentleman, smiling, opening the door for her. "Goodbye Olivia, it was very nice meeting you." There was sincerity in his voice; a tone, a look to let her know that he was serious and he was attracted to her. But Olivia didn't quite know how to handle it at that moment; she was overwhelmed by his attention to her and she couldn't account for it. So all she could think of to say was "Goodbye."

XXX

Mondays were extremely busy. It was the day they took walk-in, non-emergency appointments. The groomers were also on staff so that increased their patient visitations. Most of their patients were small, domesticated animals except for the one farmer on the island who had a variety of other animals but thankfully his house calls were few and far between.

Olivia was walking out of her office reviewing a patient file. "Pauline, can you please have Stephen review his notes for the Jefferson's dog, Trixie's last visit? I think the medication he prescribed had too low of a dosage. And they called saying that it's not working."

She was met with silence; unusual silence. Olivia's head popped up and she immediately noticed why her chatty assistant, Pauline, had gone silent. She was in the midst of staring; scratch that, drooling over the one and only Fitzgerald Grant. For his part, he was completely unaware of the stares from Pauline and several other women in the room; he continued to play with his nieces and their dog Buttercup.

"Pauline!" Olivia said a little louder, causing her to jump and give Olivia a sheepish smile.

"Oh yeah OK…no problem I'll talk to Stephen when he gets in…He's running a little behind…He sailed this weekend."

"Of course he did," Olivia said sarcastically. By now she had become used to Stephen's party-boy antics. "So who's next?"

"Mr. Fitzgerald Grant," she called for him; he looked up locking eyes with Olivia and there was that charming smile, which still managed to make her feel like hurling herself into his arms. It was contagious and she smiled back. As he walked over, Pauline whispered, "Sexy, fine ass man…Oh my gawd!"

Olivia gave her a stern look of censure before turning her attention to Fitz and his nieces. "Well good morning, it's nice to see you again."

"Good Morning Dr. Pope," the girls said in unison.

"Good Morning Olivia," Fitz said afterwards.

Olivia bent down and said to their collie, "And you must be Buttercup….aren't you a beauty," she said as she stroked the dog; getting her used to her touch and scent.

"Follow me," she said as she stood up and led them back to an exam room. "So what brings you in today?" she asked as she washed her hands and put on medical gloves.

"Well, Buttercup will be with here for the entire summer and I need to have her registered, which according to City Hall requires a check-up from you."

"Why just the summer?"

"The girls are only here for the summer; it's their dog not mine. But….I'm a resident. I'll be here as long as you'll have me," Olivia chose not to respond to the playful comment. She didn't know if he was deliberately trying to rattle her but if she had any hope of concentrating on her job, she couldn't give him the attention; she had to focus. She led the dog to jump on the exam table to give her a once over.

It was difficult; her exam room felt different now; there was a different kind of energy in the room and she knew it was only because of him. His presence continued to affect her in a way that was inexplicable.

"So Alex and Cassie, what are your plans while you're here?" she asked; a good diversion to occupy her mind.

Alex and Cassie took their cue and began their tag team chatterbox technique where you couldn't get a word in edgewise. Olivia paid keen attention to what they said; laughing at all the right areas of the conversation. Fitz was content to sit back and watch her work. She was amazingly beautiful. Seeing her now, minus the baseball cap, he could watch her all day; he was being granted a full unobstructed view of her doe eyes, high cheek bones and full lips. He could tell she was good at her job and able to multi-task by keeping the girls engaged in conversation which in turn, kept Buttercup calm while she examined her.

"Well don't forget to check out the Boys and Girls Club. They have activities all throughout the summer that I think you will like," Olivia laughed when she noticed the girls' reactions to the word 'boys'. They were definitely starting into the 'boy-crazy' stage. From then on they started question after question about the club and Olivia had to apologize profusely for knowing very little about the club specifics. She looked to Fitz for a life line but he merely smiled and shrugged his shoulders; offering her no help at all.

"OK…we're all done Buttercup," Olivia now said before addressing the girls, "You two are taking very good care of her." She went to the cabinet and retrieved a form; completed it and handed it to Fitz. "So if you take this form down to City Hall; they'll register Buttercup for the summer."

"Great, what do you say girls?" Fitz asked his nieces.

"Thank you Dr. Pope."

"Of course, no problem and please, call me Olivia."

"Thank you Olivia," they said and giggled.

"Girls, wait for me outside, I need to talk to Olivia," Fitz told them. They looked at each other and giggled again; leading Buttercup back to the waiting room.

Once they were alone, Fitz stepped closer to her and said, "So what was with the cold reception at the coffee shop? I thought this was supposed to be a community of good neighbors and all that."

"Sorry about that…you kind of….well you caught me off guard. I'm sorry," she knew that she had been rude and it was unlike her. "Maybe…maybe we can start over again."

He smiled again. "Of course we can. Come to dinner tonight….The girls are cooking…Sort of a thank you to their favorite uncle…It'll be horrible and unrecognizable but they need the encouragement and I don't want to suffer through it alone." He took another step closer to her; she wanted to retreat to another corner of the room but couldn't move.

She knew the moment she went to his house the news would be all over Avalon. Everyone would know about it and the constant prying would start. She had been through that before and it ended horribly. She prided herself on keeping her private life out of the purview of her neighbors. But with him under the watchful eye of practically everyone, anything they did would be public knowledge soon. Her eyes darted across the room nervously. He was asking her out on a date, wasn't he? She had been out of the dating game for so long, she didn't know how to recognize when she was being asked out or not. Maybe it wasn't a date…but if not then what was it?

"Olivia, say yes…you know you want to say yes…so just say it," he said confidently, taking yet another step closer to her. If he came any closer she would be cornered.

"Fitz," she said breathlessly. That was the first time she said his name; the way she said it; the way it rolled off her lips; he wanted to hear her say it over and over again. He was watching her lips hoping, waiting for her to repeat it. "I….I'm not dating…I don't date," she licked her lips and bit her bottom lip; he almost plunged in and kissed her right there.

He had no idea what that statement meant and she was not inclined to explain. It wasn't possible that a woman could look the way she did and refuse to date. It didn't matter; he wasn't deterred.

He gave her a half-smile; at least he got the assurance that she wasn't attached to someone else. "It's not a date Olivia. I would never make our first date an evening of bad food and giggling 10 year olds."

She had to laugh at that. She liked his nieces; she liked him, much more than she cared to admit at the moment."OK, then I'll be there." She was still cautious; careful not to give the wrong impression – this wasn't a date; it was something else.


	2. Dinner for Four

**Dinner for Four**

"I owe you dinner, Love. Chinese or Mexican?" Stephen asked as he sat down in her office.

"You don't owe me dinner Stephen," Olivia responded as she began to put her files away and shut down her computer for the day. She was already focusing on what she would wear to Fitz' home for dinner. Jeans for sure; maybe a tank top - no too clingy; maybe a nice blazer - no too stuffy; maybe a summer dress - nah she didn't feel like wearing a dress; jeans it is and a nice blouse. She was mentally going through the blouses in her closet; trying to pick the right one.

Olivia was nervous for sure; but more than that, much more than that, she was excited. Not until she agreed to the dinner did she realize how much she wanted to spend the evening with him and get to know him better. She was almost giddy barely able to contain the small smile that had been plastered on her face all day.

"Liv? Liv?" Stephen's voice was elevating as he tried to get her attention.

"I'm sorry Stephen I was a bit distracted…But no, like I said, you don't owe me dinner. I'm going home," it wasn't a lie; she was going home; she was just going somewhere else right after that. But Stephen didn't need to know any of that.

"Oh come on Liv, you know I hate to eat alone. Besides you covered all my patients this morning. I owe you big time. I didn't mean to be so late today but Tara didn't leave immediately and I forgot to set my alarm."

"Tara?"

"Yes," Stephen gave her a wide grin. "An old friend. She came down from LA for the weekend; we hadn't seen each other in several months. I took her out on the Livvy." Even in his cockiness, everyone liked Stephen; he had an easy-going, charming nature that complimented his good looks very well. And his pride and joy, what he spent most of his time taking care of so that she looked immaculate was his boat that he christened "Livvy".

"You really need to change the name of your boat." It seemed a bit weird to think of all the women he was having sex with on a boat named after her.

"Nope, not happening. It's bad luck. Besides, I owe a lot to you Liv. Thanks to you I'm straightening up and flying right," when Olivia looked at him with one questioning eyebrow raised, he continued, "What? You did; I've changed. I keep my partying to a minimum and it doesn't interfere with my job….Well mostly it doesn't."

Olivia had to laugh at him. He really was a good friend who made her not take life so seriously all the time. "It's ok Stephen, really. I'm good."

He watched her closely, making sure they were really fine and she was not angry at him. It was important that he never let her go to bed angry at him; her kind of anger festers and builds like a volcano, erupting and destroying everything in its path. Stephen knew from personal experience. "Ok as long as you aren't mad or anything…So my schedule is clear on Friday and I was thinking I might cut out of here early. I have a date," he said tentatively but smiling nonetheless.

She sighed. Did he always talk this much? "Sure Stephen whatever." She wasn't angry; she just wanted to get him out of her office so she could leave.

"Why aren't you irritated? What's going on?"

Now he was watching her more intently; suspicious of her compliant attitude. Olivia didn't have time to entertain his questions. She quickly said, "I already said it was fine Stephen; I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow." She grabbed her purse and left; leaving him to lock up the hospital.

XXX

"Hi Olivia, come in," one of the twins said happily as she greeted her at the door.

"Thank you…." Olivia said as she came in the door and watched as the young girl closed and locked the door. She was stumped. She couldn't tell which twin this was.

"I'm Cassie," she said helping her out. She knew Olivia was embarrassed, as most people were, when they first met them. "It's ok it happens all the time."

Olivia laughed with her. "How do people eventually tell you apart?"

"Well Alex wears purple most of the time; I wear pink…And I have a beauty mark, see right here." Olivia looked closer and found a small mole on the side of her face. It was barely noticeable; it wouldn't help her identify them. She would rely on the clothing colors until she could tell the slight variations in their faces or their personalities.

"Thanks Cassie I'll keep that in mind and thanks for letting me crash your dinner."

Cassie shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. "Do you cook?"

"Yes I do," Olivia offered eagerly; she actually loved cooking, although it was mostly dinner for one.

"Good," was all Cassie said and led her into the kitchen. Olivia frowned not quite catching the meaning behind her response but she continued to follow close behind.

They walked in and heard Fitz asking Alex, "And you said you cooked this for your mom and dad?" He took another look inside the pot and struggled to hold back the look of shock and fear; fear of having to eat what they cooked. Olivia smiled to herself; she couldn't blame him; the smell from the food was a bit…odd.

"Yes Uncle," Alex said in an exasperating tone. "You're making me nervous…I told you, we've cooked it twice for them and they loved it each time…You will too," she sounded so excited that Fitz didn't have the heart to tell her that he didn't think he would like it. It was an odd color green and it wasn't appetizing.

"Olivia's here, so I'll start on the bread," Cassie called out as she walked over to help her sister.

Fitz felt his heart lift at the sight of her. Apart of him was worried that she would find a way to cancel. He was normally very cautious of women; his experience made him so. He had dealt with his fair share of women whose only concern was what they could get out of him or how they could use him to advance their own careers. It had been hard for him to find the genuine, loving, and caring kind of woman he had been searching for. Something about his reaction to Olivia made him believe that his search was over.

It hadn't been his idea to invite her to dinner, although he was profoundly thankful for the suggestion the girls made at the coffee shop; it opened up a way for him to see her again.

"_Uncle, since we're cooking dinner for you tomorrow night, we would like to invite a friend. Is that ok?" Alex said. Cassie's eyes twinkled in understanding and automatic agreement with her sister's suggestion. _

"_OK that's fine, I guess. Who is it?"Fitz was curious to find out who they could've made friends with in the two days they had been there._

"_We want you to invite Olivia over for dinner… We like her," Cassie said and Alex nodded enthusiastically in the event he needed convincing. _

_Fitz didn't need to be convinced; their suggestion got an immediate smile from him; he wished he had come up with the plan himself. "Sounds like a plan."_

Now, seeing her in his home, looking even more beautiful in her casual clothing he couldn't resist the urge to touch her. He walked over and kissed her on the cheek, "Thanks for coming Olivia."

The contact affected both of them. It was like an electric current surged through the touch of their skin. They both pulled back, a bit surprised at the feeling a simple touch created. Olivia recovered quickly and said, "Of course, thanks again for the invite. Oh I brought you this," she handed him a bottle of wine from a local winery.

"Oh this is great. I'll open it now, would you like a glass?"

"Sure thanks," she watched as he moved through the kitchen, careful not to get in the girls way. Their attention remained on the meal as their secret whispers continued but abruptly stopped anytime Fitz came close to them.

He brought them glasses and filled them with the red wine. "So this place….it's been here forever; I've driven by it millions of times but never been inside. A woman, we called her Aunt Janey, used to live here. But unfortunately she died months ago."

"I know; she was my great aunt. She left me the house," Fitz told her as he invited her to follow him into a sitting room.

"Your aunt? Really…I always assumed that she had no family; at least no one to speak of. I never heard of anyone coming to visit…..The place is beautiful and huge. I can't believe she lived here alone for so long."

"Yeah, I came down quite a bit when I was younger but lately I couldn't get here as much as I would've liked but I checked on her all the time," he said regretfully.

Olivia took a moment to scan the family pictures in the room. She stopped in front of pictures that appeared to be Fitz and his family; multiple pictures through various stages of his life. Her breath was caught as she felt him standing behind her; almost touching, a whisper of space between them. When he began to speak; she could feel the vibrations from his voice pulsating through her body.

"That's me, my older brother Jackson and my mother and father…And that one is my brother and his family; his wife Gina and twins when they were born." It was a beautiful family; Fitz and his brother were almost mirror images of each other – both with strong, yet gentle features of compassion with the right measure of virility.

Fitz appreciated the opportunity to admire her from behind. Her jeans fitted her perfectly; molding all the right body parts; his hand itched, wanting to palm her ass. Her blouse exposed one of her shoulders and he hoped he would have a chance to touch her there; one touch would have to satisfy him; but really, he wanted to kiss her there.

He hadn't yet stepped away from her and she almost considered how good it would feel to lean back against and feel his arms warmly embrace her. Had she only just met him yesterday? "So what do you do for a living?" she asked keeping her focus on the pictures.

"I'm a director," Fitz said flatly.

She turned with wide eyes, "A director? As in movies? What are you doing here? You should be living in LA." She immediately lowered her gaze when she realized how close their faces were.

He smiled at her curiosity as he took a couple steps back; trying to relieve the pressure of their close contact. He didn't want to push too far too fast. "Yes I direct movies. I live or was living in LA but….I needed a break. I recently finished a movie project and I don't have another one scheduled right now; so it was a perfect time to come here. Even if I start working on something and have to leave; this will still be my home base."

"That's really…interesting and unexpected. I never would've thought…" she trailed off as she realized she didn't know what she thought of him yet. He didn't seem to be the 'Hollywood-type', although Olivia was not current on the entertainment industry and really didn't know what a 'Hollywood-type' was, except that she expected them to be spoiled, conceited and Fitz was definitely not that. "So what movies have you directed, would I have seen them?"

He gave her a short list of some of the large budget he worked on; he had been in the business for almost 10 years so the list was in actuality rather long. She was impressed; some of them she had seen and liked. There were a whole host of low-budget and Indie movies he worked on too but he told her that she more than likely wouldn't recognize them. She suddenly had a laundry list of questions she wanted to ask but restrained herself. The more she learned about him the greater mystery he had become and she was intrigued. What would send him from LA to the sleepy island of Catalina? Did she imagine the twinge of sadness in his voice when he talked about directing?

He was back to staring at her and this time Olivia didn't feel shy or uncomfortable; this time she felt something different. He liked watching her and she was coming to enjoy the look in his eye when he did. She was feeling that secret pride a woman gets when she knows a man admires her and she has captivated him.

"I can give you a tour of the house if you like," he offered and she smiled. "Follow me." When he passed her, she inhaled his scent and didn't release her breath until she was sure she had soaked the aura of him into her bloodstream.

XXX

"So Alex, what is this called?" Fitz asked as she set his plate in front of him. He looked at the green colored soupy dish and looked up at Olivia who was holding in her laughter at the pained look on his face. "What are you laughing at? You have to eat it too," he leaned over and whispered in her ear as his hand caressed her thigh.

Alex was going back to the kitchen but paused and said, "It's called Chicken a la Grant."

Fitz looked back down at the food with a raised eyebrow; he was confident that he did not see any chicken on his plate.

Cassie followed with Olivia's plate and then Alex returned, juggling two more plates for her and her sister.

Olivia kept stealing glances at Fitz, waiting to follow his lead. If they were going to get sick, at least they would do it together.

When everyone had sat, Fitz blessed the food. His personal, silent prayer included a petition that he not die of food poisoning. Olivia watched as he took a long sip of water before picking up his fork to eat. The twins watched him too, mimicking everything he did. They would all take a taste at the same time.

A choking and gurgling sound soon filled the dining room. Olivia tried to be polite and swallow her bite, instead of being like Fitz who immediately spit it back out and took another long swallow of water hoping to evaporate the taste from his mouth.

"Alex, you idiot, you put too much salt in it…this is disgusting. I told you to let me season it," Cassie cried.

"You're an idiot Cassie, the chicken isn't even cooked all the way…look at this….you could've made us all sick."

"OK that's enough," Fitz said sternly. "First we don't call each other idiots. Both of you apologize to each other." The girls said a tearful 'Sorry' to each other. "Now there's no need to cry about it; Olivia and I appreciate all the hard work you put into the meal. It really was a nice thing to do."

"Why don't I fix us up something real quick? It'll take me no time at all," Olivia offered cheerfully. She felt extremely bad for the girls. She knew what it was like at that age; constantly seeking approval and trying to please adults. They tried so hard to make everything nice and failing, obviously did not feel good.

"Thank you Olivia; that's very kind of you. What do you say girls?"

"Thank you Olivia," they now said through sniffles.

"Ok both of you go and clean your faces so that you can help Olivia with the food."

"Ok," the girls moped as they walked out of the dining room.

Olivia thought she heard a faint giggle but dismissed it; maybe it was her imagination or her stomach rumbling out of hunger. They both stood, ready to clear the dishes, when Fitz touched her hand and said, "Thank you Olivia. I'm so glad you were here."

"So am I," Olivia responded. She had no idea why she felt so at ease in the company of a man she had only known for two days. But despite the food crisis, she was having a great time. It was the best she felt in a while and she told herself to just relax and enjoy it.

**(A/N: I know that I owe you updates on Constancy and RAWW but this story kept creeping in my brain and occupying my creative space so I had to get it out there. I'm sorry and I thank you for patiently sticking with me. Updates to the other stories are coming up...I hope you will let me know what you think of this new story...feedback is always appreciated - good, bad or indifferent...ONLY 14 DAYS TIL SCANDAL...WOOHOO!)**


	3. Don't Think, Just Feel

**Don't Think, Just Feel**

Olivia didn't have strong family ties. The one family member she regularly kept in contact with was her cousin, Kelsey, who lived in San Francisco. Even as a child, her parents weren't very attentive or affectionate; leaving her alone most of the time under the reasoning that it fostered a healthy spirit of independence. She hadn't spoken to either of them since their divorce three years ago. As far as she knew they were both off 'finding themselves' with their respective new partners. Their lack of contact with her was a clear indication that they had no concern for her life at all. Most of her life she felt like an orphan, masking the pain by convincing herself that she didn't need a family to feel whole but it was a lie.

So as she sat at the dining room table with Fitz and the girls, listening as they laughed with each other, eating the chicken fettuccine she cooked, Olivia thought this was what natural looked like; her life was not natural, normal or loving but this was. Fitz' jokes were corny; the girls were more laughing at him than with him and Buttercup lay at their feet hoping for any food scraps from the table; the scene was perfect. It was a family and instead of feeling like an intruder or stranger, they made her feel like she was one of them; like she belonged.

After dinner was over, the girls cleaned the kitchen and were about to leave to watch television. "Goodnight, Uncle Fitz", they each said as they gave him a hug and kiss. They then went to Olivia, hugged her and told her thank you for the food. It was a surprise to Olivia, an unexpected form of affection that warmed her heart.

"You know Olivia, it's getting late," Alex suddenly said. She and Cassie were looking at her in a peculiar way that Olivia couldn't quite discern.

She shouldn't feel uneasy under the scrutiny of two ten year olds, but she did. She tried to smile when she replied, "Um…I guess so." It wasn't really that late; it was barely after nine. But even if so, the hour was late due to the fact that she had to cook a second dinner. Were they throwing her out? Was she mistaken in thinking they liked her? Maybe the hug was a hint that she had overstayed her welcome.

"And I think you already had a couple of glasses of wine," Alex continued. It wasn't a question; it was a statement and it meant they had been watching her movements all night. They both looked so innocent but as Olivia tilted her head to the side, she wondered, _were they as innocent as they appeared_?

Despite her frown, she chuckled and said, "Yes I have."

"Alex…" Fitz warned. Alex was forward and sometimes needed to be reminded of her place as a child when talking to adults.

They continued to smile sweetly and Alex explained, "I'm just thinking that maybe you should spend the night…There is an empty guest room next to mine; you could use it. We won't mind." They both nodded vigorously as encouragement for Olivia to comply with their suggestion.

She was put on the spot and she didn't quite know how to answer. She looked to Fitz to guage his reaction. Thankfully he cut in to save the conversation, "Thank you for the offer but I think Olivia will take a raincheck."

Olivia wide smile warmly conveyed her appreciation of the offer. "Yes, thank you Alex and Cassie but maybe some other time."

They shrugged as if it was no big deal and said, "OK, goodnight."

As soon as they left the room, Fitz and Olivia looked at each other and laughed out loud. "Those two are something else; I don't even know what to say?"

"They must really like you…which is understandable, the feeling is mutual."

She instantly sobered and stilled; a sudden concern popping into her head. "How many of your girlfriends have they invited for a sleepover?" Olivia was tense; not sure if she had a right to ask the question but more anxious to find out the answer.

Fitz waited and waited. He watched as Olivia toyed with the stem of her wine glass; in a daze as the burgundy liquid sloshed from one side to the other. Eventually she would find the courage to look at him and he would only answer her when she did.

So lost in her own thoughts - creating scenarios of how she would respond when he told her that it was really none of her business or that he preferred not to talk about his past relationships or that he really didn't know because there were so many - Olivia barely noticed that he hadn't answered. When she finally took note of the silence; she allowed her questioning eyes to meet his.

"Olivia," Fitz started; his voice soft, deep, soothing. Between his captivating voice and his piercing eyes, that seemed to be peering into the depths of her soul, Olivia thought she could melt right there on the spot. Then he reached over and gently caressed her hand; she didn't know if she shivered but she may have; at this point all she could hope for was that her reaction was not visible to him. She watched his mouth as he continued, "I don't have girlfriends and I don't bring random women around my nieces. My divorce was finalized 3 months ago; after being separated from my ex-wife for 6 or 7 months. You are the first woman I've dated since the break-up of my marriage…I can't explain my instant attraction to you; I know we don't really know each other but the attraction is there and I want to pursue it. So you have to let me know. You let me know if I'm moving too fast for you."

Her head was moving in all different directions; she was saying "no" he wasn't moving too fast for her; she was saying "yes" she was attracted to him also and judging by the frown on his face neither of these movements made any sense to him.

Fitz saw her internal struggle and he supposed he may have come on a bit strong; but he didn't regret it. He was a man that didn't hide his feelings or put up pretenses. He knew there was games people played; trying to get the upper hand; trying to guard their feelings so they wouldn't appear vulnerable or prone to injury but something told him that with the woman sitting at the table with him, there was no need to brush up on his Dating 101 skills. He could tell her what he felt without it being thrown back in his face or used as a weapon to manipulate him. Just the way she was reacting to his words told him that she was not casual about relationships either; she was attracted to him for sure, he could see that in the coffee shop, and as cautious as she wanted to be; she still wanted in, all in – and that made him smile.

When Olivia saw his smile, her whole body relaxed and she found her words. "I….I'm attracted to you too. I want to pursue it too. And no, you are not moving too fast."

"Good then that means you are staying the night," he decided and when he saw her eyes widen, he laughed and said, "relax Olivia, I'm kidding."

XXXXXX

She liked to laugh.

Fitz watched as she threw her head back in laughter as he told the story of his first directing job and how much he hated his lead actor. The actor was arrogant and ignorant, barely able to remember his lines but still trying to give Fitz advice on how to direct the film. Fitz pulled several discreet pranks on him, which in the end humbled him and made the shoot much more bearable. He had told this story a number of times before but this time, telling it to her; seeing her carefree, unguarded response brought life to what he thought had become a pretty stale incident.

She was affectionate.

When she laughed; when she talked about her life, her job, the island; she would alternate between touching his arm and touching his leg. It was an unconscious move; she was likely not aware of the action but it was telling. It meant that she was more than comfortable with him; she enjoyed being with him but more importantly, if she liked touching him then she also liked to be touched.

"So…you're able to manage with the girls on your own?" Olivia asked when Fitz explained that his brother and his wife had gone on an extended vacation; a much needed one, since they hadn't really been alone since the girls were born.

"I do the best I can and when I make a mistake one of them, more likely Alex, is not afraid to call me out on it. Their housekeeper will be here tomorrow; she's taking the express boat. But really, as you can tell they are very independent. I think it's more of them putting up with me than the other way around."

"Really? That doesn't seem like such a hard thing to do," Olivia concluded and she smiled in an inviting, covertly seductive, way. He loved it when she did that.

"And a month from now, when you've really gotten to know me, I'll be sure to hold you to that statement," he joked.

Her smile brightened more so from the confidence in his statement that they would definitely still be together a month from now. "I have no problem with that, at all."

"How is it that there isn't some guy waiting for you at home?"

"How do you know that there isn't?" she asked playfully, a knee jerk reaction to divert the question of past relationships. When his eyes darkened, she chuckled and said, "Relax Fitz, I was joking…I had to get you back for the sleeping over comment."

"You didn't get me, I knew you were joking."

"mmhmm, yeah OK, I believe you," she said, even as she shook her head to tell him that she really did not.

"Are you dodging the question on purpose?"

She faltered. Her gaze cast downward as she now noticed his hand had covered hers. How long had his hand been there? He was doing that thing where he liked to use his thumb to create circular patterns on the back of her hand. His relaxation technique was working because even as it seemed he moved closer to her on the couch, nothing he did sent off alarms or made her want to retreat into a shell, as she had done with men before.

"Yes, I guess I am."

"It was that bad, huh?"

"It was not only bad, but public….It's a tiny island, when you consider that almost everybody knows everybody else and it doesn't take much for everyone to know your business. And people love a juicy story of infidelity and heartbreak," she explained as she looked up into his eyes. She didn't want to talk about it but she would if he wanted her too. It wasn't that she still pined over lost love; it was more that she didn't want to dampen the mood with such a sad story. But if it meant making him understand that she was not attached in any way to anyone else, she would tell him whatever he needed to know.

"Olivia, we don't have to talk about it tonight. I just wanted to make sure that you weren't attached to someone already. It's been a long time since I literally had to fight over a girl; not since 7th grade, I just wanted to be prepared in case I had to fight a guy for you," he had successfully lightened the moment and they both easily fell back into the enjoyment of the evening.

XXXXXX

For Olivia, the night ended much too soon. She tried not to dwell on it too much; trying not to make herself crazy by over-analyzing and dissecting their interactions over the past two days; but her connection to Fitz was the strongest she felt in her entire life. Over and over again, she kept telling herself, _don't think, just feel_. And in time, just sitting and talking to him, she no longer had to remind herself; she was just feeling.

He didn't want to let her go. She didn't want to go. Their movements were reluctant; their conversation deliberately prolonged and drawn out. She was washing the wine glasses; he was tidying up the dining room; unimportant tasks but anything to stall; to create a few more moments in each other's company. It was a delay of the inevitable, but it was time for it to end.

"Fitz stop fussing over me…I'm fine. I live maybe 10 minutes away from you. I'll be home soon and I'll text you when I get there." He was worried and it was endearing. It had been a long time since someone was so concerned for her and it felt good. She liked being looked after.

"Are you sure because I can lock up the house and follow you home? Or if you're feeling the effects of the wine, you could just stay here?"

"You're sweet but the alcohol wore off hours ago. And you're not leaving the girls alone; just to follow me back home. If I don't text you in the next 15 minutes you can send out the cavalry to find me."

In Avalon, cars for residents were scarce. There was a 14 year waiting list for a pemit to own a vehicle. It was an effort to promote clean air and clean living. People either walked, biked, used public transportation or traveled by motorized golf carts. Olivia was walking out to her cart and he followed close behind. "Don't text me, call me. I want to hear your voice," he said from behind her.

She turned around to face him and smiled. "Of course I will. Thank you again, I had a good time. I'm glad I came."

"Thank you for coming. I'm glad you came."

He was about to close in and say goodnight to her with a simple, uncomplicated kiss on the cheek but he didn't have to. She did it for him; although it was very different from what he intended. She boldly stepped closer, took his hands into hers and pulled him down while she stood on her tiptoes; they could meet in the middle. When his lips were practically on hers she paused and smiled at him; excitement dancing in her eyes. Fitz smiled back, _she's a tease_; _a sexy little tease, _he thought.

She brought his arms around her; it was all the invitation he needed as he took over and claimed her mouth with his. He lifted her up, bringing her eyelevel with him, as he tried to keep the kiss chaste, innocent. Once again, she had other ideas. Her hands were in his hair, toying with the curls at the nape of his neck. And then he felt it. Her tongue requesting entry into his mouth and he generously complied; opening up for her, allowing their tongues to meet as they tasted and savored each other between the shared moans of pleasure. It didn't take much for the kiss to become intense as they slanted their mouths over each other again and again; gasping for wisps of air but refusing to let up.

There was no awkwardness; no tentative reserve; they didn't need to become familiar with each other's rhythm – they just fit. Their bodies melded together; their mouths fused solidly, completely attached without hesitation. They could delight in finding that they were equally matched in passion and desire; they could give and take with one another without regret or apprehension. They could also easily get lost in each other; something that was not too wise considering the time and the place.

Simultaneously, they both seemed to realize where they were – outside, exposed in front of his house – and they pulled back to end the kiss. Momentarily, Olivia got lost in his eyes and felt a strong inclination to kiss him all over again but she resisted. It was late, she needed to get home and it was careless of her to display this type of affection in public for anyone to see. She gave him a small parting kiss on the lips as he settled her back to the ground. Her legs were a bit shaky but then she felt the warmth of his hand at the base of her back guiding her to the driver side of her cart and helping her get in.

"Don't forget to let me know you're in safe, Olivia."

She looked up to find him looking at her in a way that no man had ever done before. The concern in his voice; the expression of his tenderness; the firm, yet gentle feel of his touch made her believe in the possibility that he could be the one. She could chide herself for thinking about being in love, when she only met him yesterday; she could chastise herself for being so wanton in displaying affection for him and allowing her vulnerability to show but she decided not to. She made a conscious choice not to over-think this; to just feel. And everything she had done thus far, felt right.

"I won't Fitz, I promise. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Maybe she would fall asleep with the smile still playing on her lips; thinking of him – how he smelled, how he smiled and how it felt to be in his arms. Maybe she would dream about him and the role he would have in her life. She could still feel the taste of him and as if in remembrance her hand went up to touch her lips and she realized, in actuality, the steady vibration still humming through her body meant she probably wouldn't be getting much sleep at all tonight.

XXXXXX

He squinted, frowned, then squinted again. His eyesight wasn't bad and even though he had on sunglasses, he knew what he saw. He knew it was her, walking on the beach, looking absolutely amazing and sexy and every other word he could think of to describe the beauty in the white bathing suit. And next to her, walking in step, talking while she laughed; laughing while she talked; was a man he had never seen before. A man who was now touching her, pulling her into a quick embrace. An attractive man; bare-chested, chiseled frame, winning smile – the complete package. Who was he? Why was she with him? She didn't notice him watching her yet, but she would soon and he would wait until they got close enough to tell her that she had been caught in the act.

For the past week, Fitz and Olivia were practically inseparable, at least in private. They talked on the phone regularly, daily and had dinner at either his place or hers about four times. Since their first kiss, they both tried to slow things down, agreeing that moving too fast could be potentially damaging to their relationship. What was more important was that they had mutually agreed to be committed to the relationship and being open to wherever it would lead.

Fitz was happy with their understanding, as long as he knew that she was committed to their relationship alone, he was satisfied. He did often wonder at her apprehension of openly dating, going out in public together, but he knew how her last relationship ended and he didn't want to push her. He hoped that in time, she would feel comfortable enough to let any and everyone know about their attachment.

But now, as he looked on from his spot on the beach, where he had alternated between watching his nieces play in the water and reading a new screenplay that was sent to him, he thought maybe he had misunderstood her or misread the signs. But he couldn't have, could he? He didn't think of himself as a jealous man by nature; he never exhibited those traits before but now watching her with him, the feeling was starting to manifest itself.

When she caught sight of him, she smiled and waved in greeting. She grabbed the guy's hand and brought him over to where Fitz was. Instinctively, Fitz rose to greet them, his arms crossed over his bare chest in a defensive stance and without his usual friendly smile.

"Hey Fitz, how are you? I didn't expect to see you at the beach today," she said excitedly and gave him a brief hug but she pulled back too quickly. It was nothing like the hug she had given the other guy minutes before.

Fitz was thankful for the sunglasses that he hoped continued to hide the deepening scowl on his face. He cleared his throat and said, "Yeah I came to the beach with the girls today." His voice was short, clipped and Olivia tilted her head in confusion; it was so unlike his usual friendliness. She wanted to focus on his muscled chest and the perfect tan he was getting from the sun. He looked like an Adonis to her and she wanted to tease him about it but looking at his face she knew he was not in a mood to be teased.

She remembered her manners and happily said, "Fitz this is Stephen…Stephen, Fitz," she watched as they shook hands and continued, "Stephen works with me at the hospital. We had no patients this afternoon so we decided to play hooky and come to the beach."

Fitz gave a nod in understanding and said nothing else. Olivia stared at him trying to comprehend his cold demeanor.

"Fitzgerald Grant, you are the talk of the entire island….Everyone is glad you have settled here," Stephen said enthusiastically. Fitz' frown was not in any way lessened by the fact that Stephen had an accent; a Scottish drawl that no doubt attracted every woman's attention.

"Thanks," Fitz responded. The three stood there in awkward silence. Olivia racked her brain trying to think of something to say that could ease the tension of the situation although she had no idea what had created the tension in the first place.

Alex and Cassie ran up to get their towels to dry off. They each gave Olivia a hug in greeting. "Oh hey girls…this is my friend, he works at the hospital with me. His name is Stephen…Stephen this is Alex and Cassie, Fitz' nieces."

Stephen politely shook each of their hands. "It's nice to meet you. You are very beautiful young ladies."

Neither Alex nor Cassie smiled at his charm and Olivia thought she heard Fitz groan in irritation. It was clear that they did not like Stephen. She still didn't know why, at least not until Alex asked a question that put it all in perspective.

"Stephen, does your girlfriend live in Catalina?" Alex asked in her normal blunt, straightforward way.

Stephen looked from the young girl back to Olivia with a half-smile. He was amused Alex' question. "Well the only woman I am dedicated to at the moment is my Livvy," he joked. That comment earned him a nasty look from all parties. Olivia thought she would have a fight on her hand at any moment; the tension was too thick.

"Stephen stop joking, they don't understand what you are talking about," Olivia said to chastise him. She then addressed Fitz and the girls, rushing to explain his meaning, "Livvy is his boat, not me, his boat. Stephen and I are just friends." It still didn't seem to do much good. "Stephen go away, I will talk to you later; I'll see you at the office tomorrow."

Stephen laughed good-naturedly. He could always tell when his attention to a woman had made a man jealous. And this Fitz guy was definitely jealous, which meant there was some type of relationship between Olivia and Fitz that she hadn't told him about. He wanted to ask what was going on with them but knew now was not the time; he would grill her later. "No worries Love…I'll talk to you later," he said as he hugged her to him and kissed her temple before taking off. The last gesture was intentional, a proverbial salt on the wound; he smiled as he envisioned Fitz frowning at his back as he walked away.

"Olivia, can we talk in private?" Fitz asked in a hoarse voice; he did his best to hide his anger but he knew he was failing.

Olivia groaned inwardly. This was not a discussion she was looking forward to.

**(A/N: Thanks everyone for the kind reviews of the first two chapters; hopefully this chapter was just as entertaining for you. Feel free to offer comments, suggestions, predictions and criticisms - I read each one and I enjoy it! For anyone waiting for an update on Constancy of Happiness, it's coming up next!)**


	4. Tired of Being Alone

**Tired of Being Alone**

"Can I get you something to drink?"

"Sure I'll take anything you have."

Fitz watched her as she moved effortlessly through her kitchen, almost with the grace of a dancer. She was such an amazingly beautiful woman that he literally could not take his eyes off of her. Everywhere she went – getting wine glasses off the shelf; choosing the wine to serve; checking the food – his eyes would lazily follow as if watching her had become his favorite pastime. But in all her movements, he could still see the nervousness.

She had been nervous since he told her he wanted to talk in private at the beach earlier that day. She thought he meant immediately but he recognized the wisdom of calming his thoughts before engaging in any type of discussion. So he took the twins back home; settled them in with the housekeeper and accepted Olivia's invitation to dinner. It just struck him that this would be the first time they had dinner alone, without the twins. Maybe this was exactly what they needed.

After bringing him a glass of wine, she attempted to walk back to the kitchen and finish her preparations for dinner. He wouldn't let her go. He took hold of her hand, forcing her to look in his eyes, "You're nervous…Am I making you nervous?"

She took a deep breath before responding, "This situation is making me nervous because there is a conversation that we need to have and it's hanging over this evening like a dark cloud. I don't like it."

"Then let's talk. We can have dinner later," Fitz suggested. His voice was so relaxing; so calming completely different from what Olivia had expected. The look on his face earlier at the beach told her that he was not happy and she assumed he would come here ready to argue. But he didn't; he only wanted to talk.

She made sure the food wouldn't burn before sitting beside him on the couch.

"I don't want you to think that I don't believe you and Stephen are just friends. I do. I have no reason not to trust you Liv. I'll admit that seeing you with him today bothered me a great deal at the time. But it wasn't because you were with your friend; it was because you won't let us be that way. You want to date in the shadows, away from prying eyes and I get that you've had a pretty bad experience; your private life was made public but it's happened to me too, several times but I don't let it interfere with how I live my life. I've never allowed what the public said or did to prevent me from being happy. I won't do that with you either."

"I didn't consider that you would have experienced the same thing."

"Although I tried to keep my divorce discreet and amiable, my ex-wife had other ideas. She's an actress so she enjoys the spotlight and exposing our marriage for the world to see was no problem for her. Our divorce was painful, public and messy; it didn't have to be, but she made it so. And sadistically, I think she enjoyed it."

"How did you deal with it?"

"At first, I didn't handle it well. I let her get under my skin and goad me into petty arguments in the press. When I stopped responding, it angered her more but in the end she was the one who looked like the vindictive bitch she was. My family helped too; I always had a safe haven to run to; escaping LA every now and then is a must, if you want to keep your sanity."

"Is that why you're here? Are you escaping something?"

"Not in the way that you think…There isn't someone waiting for me in LA and you don't have to worry about someone showing up here unexpectedly. I just needed a break. My last directing job took a lot out of me; it drained me and I needed to get away."

A broad smile began to form on her face. "What?" he asked her curiously.

"This was not how I thought this conversation would go. I'm pleasantly surprised by you Fitz. You're different from what I've known and better than I could have expected…You're practically perfect."

"I'm not perfect Olivia, I'm just me," he said as he chuckled.

"You can call me Liv or Livvy," she offered.

"Liv….thank you," he appreciated the offer but he wasn't exactly comfortable calling her the nickname that was also the name of Stephen's boat; maybe in time but not now.

XXXXXX

"Liv your movie collection is awful…I'm sorry to say it but is really, really bad," Fitz laughed as he looked through the limited number of DVD's she had, trying to select a movie for them to watch.

"I'm sorry Fitz, I don't really watch TV or movies very often and if I do I usually watch it on cable or Netflix," she called out from the kitchen as she put dishes in the dishwasher.

"Oh Netflix," Fitz said gleefully as he looked for the remote to find a movie on Netflix. He settled on the Maltese Falcon. It was a classic movie, without being overtly romantic. Fitz admired the cinematography along with the mystery storyline.

As they settled in with a fresh bowl of popcorn and more wine, Olivia snuggled in closer to his side enjoying his warmth and scent. She didn't mind that he commented on the movie every chance he got; she enjoyed hearing the excitement in his voice. She watched his mouth move as he spoke, so captivated that she couldn't really recall what he was saying.

When the movie ended, Fitz helped her clean up the rest of the dishes. "So is that the same Humphrey Bogart from that movie…what's it called….Casablanca or something like that," Olivia said out loud. She continued to put dishes away, unaware that Fitz had halted his actions and was now watching her intently.

She finally noticed the strange look on his face, "Fitz what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Liv, are you seriously telling me that you have never seen Casablanca?"

She laughed, "Fitz you look like I just killed your cat. You are seriously hurt that I have not seen a movie….that's crazy."

"It's not just a movie….it's a masterpiece….everyone has seen Casablanca, well except you. I can't believe it. How have you lived this long without seeing it?...Next time, you and me have a date to see Casablanca."

"Fitz if you wanted to see me again, all you had to do was ask, you didn't have to make up this exaggerated excuse to watch another movie," she joked.

"Very funny…I have a passion for movies Liv but I will try not to take offense with the fact that you've never seen one of the best movies of all time…much better than most of the movies they put out today."

"Oh I get it, so any movie not made by you is crap," she teased.

"No," he smiled as he leaned against the counter in her kitchen, watching as she got on her tip toe to put the wine glasses away. "I'm saying that big budget movies today take shortcuts. They rely on CG, over-the-top action and violence to entertain the audience instead of a great storyline. But audiences are more intelligent than they give them credit for. They want good, quality movies, well thought-out storylines and great acting."

Olivia nodded in understanding as she now leaned on the opposite counter; completely comfortable with the conversation and his presence in her home. "Well I'm open to you introducing me to these good, quality movies."

Fitz noticed the time behind her and sighed, "Well it's late and I better get back. I had a great time Liv." He approached her, noting and encouraged by the widening smile on her face. She let out a sharp note of surprise as he effortlessly lifted her and sat her on the counter; they were practically face to face now. She automatically opened her legs to let him come closer and brought her arms to rest around his neck, playing with the curls at his nape. He loved it when she did that.

"You are so beautiful…so beautiful." He said it as if he was looking at her for the first time, in wonderment and awe. As if she were a priceless piece of art that he couldn't quite interpret but the appreciation for the beauty of every stroke was heightened the longer he stared. She smiled, completely awash with his praise. He leaned in and took possession of her; no gentleness, no calm solidarity; it was intense, harsh and desperate. She crossed her legs around him; trapping him to her, enjoying the feel of his hard body flushed against hers. If it were possible, her eagerness fueled his desire more and he sucked on her tongue; cherishing her throaty moans even as the small voice in his head warned him against pushing them beyond the point of no return.

The moment he felt her grind against his bulging arousal; he had to stop. He released her lips and in a strained voice said, "Liv, I need to go….pretty soon I won't be able to go."

Olivia nodded in understanding. He was right. It was much too early in their relationship to even consider a sleep over. She averted her gaze and bit her lip; indecision running wild on her face. She wanted him to stay but he couldn't stay; he shouldn't stay; it would be selfish of her to suggest it; not to mention the risk of pushing their relationship too far too fast. But who set the rules of when a relationship should progress and when it should slow down? Why couldn't they set their own rules?

"Fitz, I want you to stay," she said hastily and when she thought he would decline, she cut him off, "I'm not saying I want us to do anything…We don't have to do anything…I mean we shouldn't do anything…I know it's too early for us to do anything…I mean we are attracted to each other and we're adults and I don't know why we can't do whatever feels right, whenever we want to but I understand if you don't want to rush things…I'm rambling aren't I?" She giggled and shyly covered her mouth with her hand.

It was the most adorable gesture he had ever seen. He smiled and waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts.

She took a breath and said, "I want you to stay. I would like to fall asleep and wake up in your arms…I wake up alone all the time and….tomorrow morning I don't want to be alone when I wake up. Will you stay?"

XXXXXX

"Hi."

"Hi."

Fitz went home, checked on the girls and told the housekeeper that he would return on the following day. He ignored the knowing smile he received and left after packing an overnight bag. He was now back at Olivia's in record time.

Although she had let him in and invited him to follow her to the bedroom, he did not move. He was frozen at the sight of her; he thought she would have mercy on him. Did she realize the effect her body had on him? If she only wanted him to hold her then she couldn't dress the way she was; she was braless in a mid-rift tank top and high-rise boy shorts. The only way she could be sexier is if she was naked.

"Fitz, come on," she beckoned; smiling as she waited for him at the threshold of the hallway leading to her bedroom.

"Liv….do you….do you normally sleep in that?" his voice went deeper than he intended.

She walked over to him; took his bag from his hand and set it on the floor. She grabbed both of his hands in hers and said, "No, I normally sleep in the nude, but since we're only holding each other tonight…."

When she saw his eyes glaze over, she laughed and said, "I'm just kidding Fitz, but…I gotcha."

XXXXXX

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm fine Liv. I can do it."

"Ok but you're yawning every two minutes; you're tired, you didn't sleep well," she snickered and he frowned at her. She was going for a morning run and he insisted on going with her. It would be the first time they would be seen together in public and he wasn't going to pass it up; even though he could barely keep his eyes open. Sleeping with her platonically was worse than he thought. Her ass was almost permanently glued to his crotch and it was maddening. He tried gently rolling her over but she always ended up in the same place.

"Can we just go now?" he asked suppressing another yawn and ignoring the comical look on her face.

Olivia counted this as another moment with him where she felt happy, truly happy. It was like being with a partner she had known for years; so comfortable, so easy. They ran silently side by side; keeping in step as they traveled on her normal route though the town. Through her sunglasses she could see the stares they were receiving from people she knew but she ignored them. She even saw her assistant Pauline, her mouth forming a perfectly shaped O, but Olivia gave her no attention. Monday would be here soon enough and she would get a mouthful then.

She motioned for them to detour to a park bench and he followed. She started stretching and he did the same. "You doing okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine Liv…don't worry about me." He flashed her that charming signature smile.

"Are you saying you're up for a challenge?"

"A challenge? What would that be?" he was curious and stepped closer to her.

"I've been taking it easy on you, so if you're up to it we could pick up the pace…you know sort of a race," she smiled stepping closer to him. At the moment, she was not at all concerned that they were in a public place - a park - and they were standing so close that the slightest movement would result in their bodies touching and their lips meeting.

"And if I win, what do I get? What are you going to give me?" he held his breath waiting for her response. Her challenge intrigued him and he was all in for whatever she had in mind.

Olivia was about to respond when she heard someone calling Fitz's name. She turned to see a young, dark haired, beautifully attractive woman waving and walking toward them. She wasn't from Catalina. She looked up to Fitz and saw a smile of recognition forming on his face; he obviously knew this woman. Fitz stepped back away from her.

"Fitz, finally I caught up with you," the woman said as she gave Fitz a long hug.

"Jenny, I'm all sweaty," Fitz tried to explain.

"Oh please," she said as she hugged him even tighter. When she pulled back she explained, "I haven't seen you in months. I got in last night, took the express. I went to the house the housekeeper said you were out all evening. I hope you don't mind she put me up in one of the spare rooms. I got up early, exploring the island and glad to have run into you."

"You didn't call to let me know you were coming."

"Yeah because I was afraid you would talk me out of coming."

"I would have."

"Exactly." They both laughed.

Olivia watched the conversation and suddenly knew the uncomfortable feeling of being an outsider and an intruder observing a personal conversation. Jenny was even more beautiful close up. She had a youthful, fresh face and the greenest eyes.

Fitz seemed to suddenly remember her presence and said, "Jenny, this is Olivia. Olivia this is Jennifer, Jenny. She is my ex-wife, Mellie's, baby sister."

Olivia gave her hand to Jenny in greeting. Jenny took it but began eyeing her suspiciously. She looked Olivia up and down, clearly displeased with what she saw. "It's very nice to meet you Jenny. Welcome to Avalon."

"Thank you Olivia. I'm glad to be here. This guy likes to refer to me as a baby but I'm 22 years old and I just graduated college," Olivia watched as Jenny latched on to Fitz's arm. Her dreamy-eyed stare was a clear indication that her feelings for Fitz went far beyond a family relation through marriage. "And I will try not to be mad at you for missing my birthday and my graduation."

"I'm sorry Jenny, you know why I couldn't come…your sister….but I sent you gifts to make up for it."

"Yes you did and thank you but now you can make it up to me by showing me around this wonderful city."

Olivia took this as her cue to exit. She was uneasy watching Fitz catch up with his beautiful ex sister-in-law who had a big crush on him and was now staying in his home. "That's a great idea. Fitz could show you around…there are some great sights to see."

"Liv what are you…." Fitz frowned and started to protest.

She cut him off with a best smile she could conjure up considering the circumstances and the insecurity she felt inside. "No it's fine. I have errands to run and things to take care of. You two obviously have a lot to catch up on. I'll talk to you later."

She didn't give Fitz a chance to respond further. She resumed her run; this time much faster than before; she knew she was running away but didn't stop and she didn't look back. It didn't take long for the same feeling to come back; the feeling she was used to – running alone.

**(A/N: Hello all. So I haven't forgotten this story and I seriously have no excuse for not updating sooner. And I'm not going to talk about the 2nd episode of Scandal; I've deliberately stayed away from Twitter and Tumblr because I refuse to put my negative thoughts in the Universe; at least not more than what I have already...Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you to everyone who continues to stick with me through this story.)**


	5. Can't Keep Running Away

**Can't Keep Running Away**

"Why are you really here Jenny?" Fitz asked firmly after watching Olivia run away from him. He was irritated for a variety of reasons, most of which was the fact that Olivia left him standing there. She kept running without looking back.

"I just wanted to see you; it's been a long time," she tried to explain with the same pouty face Mellie used when she wanted to convince him of something he knew was a lie.

He sighed in frustration. "Listen Jenny, you can either tell me why you're really here or I can walk you to the express boat and send you back to LA. Pick one."

He watched her eyes saddened and form a pool of tears. Another tactic to pull at his emotions. It was their gift that they could make tears form in their eyes at any time they wished. _God, she is so much like her sister_, he thought.

"I'm sorry Fitz, I know you weren't expecting me but I had no place else to go….no one else to turn to….my parents won't help me; Mellie won't help me," she sobbed.

"What do you want Jenny?"

In true dramatic fashion, she let several tears fall before rambling out, "There's this prestigious acting school that my manager is sure I can get in to but I need….I only need $10,000.00. I've tried to come up with the money myself but it'll take too long and I need to enroll in a couple of weeks. Mellie claims she doesn't have it and you know how my parents are….Please Fitz….just this one last favor and then I'm out of your hair for good…no more favors."

And there it was: money. That's what it always came down to. That's what Mellie's family always wanted from him. All of them – scheming, manipulative, vultures. He already funded the last year of Jenny's college education. When he and Mellie married, her parents thought they struck gold. Their father, Graham, quit his job and refused to go to work again. In his mind, Mellie was a successful actress married to a one of the most successful directors in the country; he no longer needed to work. When Mellie claimed to not have the money to pay for her family's needs; it all fell on Fitz. He hoped that the divorce settlement would be enough to keep her family away from him; apparently not.

"No," Fitz said firmly.

"What?" she eked out. She couldn't believe he would turn her down; he never turned her down. Why was he so different? This wasn't the Fitz she was used to.

"I said no. I already funded much of your college education Jenny. Time to find your own way. Grow up."

"But you're rich. $10,000.00 is nothing to you. You could help me if you wanted to."

"You're right and I just don't want to." He stared her down. She wanted to say more, much more but she couldn't afford to make him her enemy. She needed him. Fitz knew she hoped he would change her mind and cave in to her request. But he wouldn't; not this time.

"Fine," she resigned, "Can I…can I still stay with you?"

"You can stay until Monday….then you go back home. Understood?"

She smiled. That was certainly enough time to ingratiate herself to him; wear him down. By Monday, she knew he would be writing her a check.

XXXXXX

Fitz knew exactly where to find her. When he walked into the coffee shop he saw her sitting in the corner reading a newspaper. She tried to appear calm, nonchalant, without a care in the world but the way her head rested in her hand, he could tell she was not happy.

"Olivia," Fitz said as he walked up to her table. He startled her and she looked up in surprise; she hadn't expected him to come for her.

"Fitz, what are you…." She didn't have a chance to say anything more. He grabbed her hand and led her to the kitchen, past Louisa's look of shock at his bold gesture. He asked Gus to excuse them for a moment. Gus wanted to object but the look on Fitz's face halted his words. He threw the kitchen towel on the counter and left in a huff.

"Fitz what are you…" Olivia tried again.

"Do not talk Olivia…I need you to stop doing this….Stop running from me…from us," he said in a fierce low voice as he stared in her eyes, daring her to turn away from him. "I'm a grown ass man; I don't play games; I know what I want, when I want it and I want you. So can you please stop running away from me whenever you feel uncomfortable?"

"I'm sorry Fitz….I thought….well I'm ashamed to say what I thought." She was embarrassed and her gaze cast downward.

He knew exactly what she thought. It was what he thought when he saw her with Stephen but the difference is he didn't run away; he stayed to talk; she needed to do the same.

"Do you want this?" Fitz asked as he lifted her chin so their eyes could meet again. "Are you all in Olivia? Do you want this…no games….no running?"

Olivia started in to his blue orbs; getting lost in the intensity of his gaze. She nodded her head to answer before whispering "Yes."

When she bit her lip, he couldn't restrain himself any longer. He grabbed her face and kissed her, hard. She had the tendency to drive him insane and yet, he couldn't seem to get enough of her. The kiss was wild, consuming; their mouths slamming on each other again and again and again.

It was only when Gus cleared his throat did they break apart. "I need my kitchen; I have a restaurant to run. Can you two leave now please?" he said gruffly.

"Sorry Gus," Fitz said contritely before turning back to Olivia and saying, "I'm sweaty and I need a shower, are you ready to go home?"

_Go home._ Olivia couldn't help but smile at his choice of words. She nodded her head in eager agreement as she led him out of the kitchen.

XXXXXX

She let him use the shower first, which was a huge mistake because he came out of the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around his waist. She looked up from her phone and watched as he went to his bag to grab his toiletries. His body was amazing; he bent over and her breath was caught; secretly wishing the towel would fall down so she could see him entirely. When he looked over to her she tried to avert her eyes quickly but she knew he saw her looking because as he walked back into the bathroom, she heard him chuckle to himself. He was teasing her.

_Two can play this game_, Olivia thought as she noticed he left the bathroom door open. "Can you start the shower back up for me?" she called out. When she heard him turn the water on, she discarded her clothing and walked into the bathroom completely nude. He was in the midst of lathering his face for a shave; his hand stopped in mid motion. His eyes glazed over; watching her reflection in the bathroom mirror as she went to the cabinet and grabbed a large towel for herself. His hands twitched; his arousal evident as he watched every move she made.

When she finally stepped inside the shower, he thought he could gain control over himself until she decided she wanted to hold a conversation.

"Have you checked on the girls?"

"No," his voice was hoarse; deeper than normal and she knew she had gotten to him. She smiled secretly.

"Do you have plans with them today?"

"No."

"Have you decided what you want for lunch? I could cook us something," she struggled to keep the laughter out of her voice.

"No."

She decided to have mercy on him and remained quiet as she continued to shower. When she finished, she asked him to hand her the towel so she could dry off. Instead of giving her the towel he held it out for her to step into. She smiled and stepped closer to him. What he did next was so sensual, so wildly erotic that Olivia could barely keep her legs steady. He was drying her off; using the towel to touch every part of her; bending down in front of her to dry her feet, her legs before going higher and higher; touching her intimately. His movements were slow, gentle, and deliberate. She watched him with bated breath finally putting her hands on his shoulders for support in her weakened state.

He wouldn't let her cover up with the towel. He tossed it aside as he led her to stand in front of him facing the mirror. He began kissing on her neck; his large hands caressing her body. She moaned, closed her eyes and threw her head back against him but he whispered, "Don't close your eyes; I want you to watch us."

She forced her eyes open; watching as he his hands kneaded her breasts before traveling down to her center. "Open your legs for me," he said to her through their reflection in the mirror. She complied and audibly gasped as she felt his hand stroke her. She could barely see straight; a heavy haze forming over her eyes. But each time she tried to close her eyes he reminded her to keep them open. She bit her lip in determination; the sight of his hand moving back and forth over her intensifying her desire; reaching the highest levels. When he inserted a finger and then two; her hips started a movement of their own; encouraging him to help her find a release; hoping that he never stopped. She grabbed hold of the counter; no longer able to find the strength to stand unsupported.

"You're so wet Liv; you feel so good," he said; desire deepening the baritone of his voice.

"Please, I need….I need you inside me," she begged.

"No baby, not yet," he told her. Their first time would not be in a bathroom but he couldn't help giving her a taste of what was to come.

He pumped his fingers faster, while circling her clit and biting down on her neck. Her movements were jerky, frantic and he knew she was close. She continued to watch her body move; to watch his fingers, his hands expertly attend to her and she could hold back no longer. She closed her eyes and screamed out in climax.

It was the best sound he ever heard and he couldn't wait for the opportunity to make her scream his name.

XXXXXX

She left him sleeping. In her bed. A bed too massive to be slept in alone; but she had been sleeping in it alone for years. But not anymore. He was here and he was sleeping in her bed. She smiled as she left him; careful not to disturb his nap as she went to the kitchen to fix them lunch/dinner, depending on the time he awakened.

She was in the midst of finishing the food when someone knocked and rang her doorbell. She moved quickly to answer the door, afraid the noise would wake him.

"This is a surprise…what are you two doing here?" Olivia asked as she opened the door to find Alex and Cassie standing on her porch.

"Hi Olivia," they said in unison.

"Hi girls, come in," after closing the door behind them she asked, "Did you come all this way by yourself?"

"No, Sarah brought us. She said she would be shopping for about an hour and then she would come back and check on us," Cassie explained. Sarah, their housekeeper, was a sweet, older lady but Olivia wondered what she could be shopping for in town that would take an entire hour.

"Is Uncle Fitz here?" Alex asked innocently.

Olivia smiled. If there is one thing she learned about the twins, it was that Alex asked questions for a reason and rarely was it out of innocence and naivety.

"Yes, he's sleeping," Olivia offered. She saw them exchange a look and said, "What…what's the matter?"

"Did we wake you? Is that why you aren't sleeping with him?" Alex asked curiously. Cassie blushed at the question but she was eager to hear the answer too.

"No you did not wake me," Olivia said as she chuckled. "I guess I'm just not as tired as your Uncle is….Are you hungry?" Changing the subject was the best thing right now before the conversation got out of hand.

"I can always eat," Cassie cheerfully said. They followed her to the kitchen.

"So I hear that you have a new houseguest, Jenny. What would she be to you?...Your aunt?" Olivia said as she took down plates.

"She's nothing to us," Alex said firmly.

"You don't like her?"

"No we don't," Cassie explained. "She's just like Uncle Fitz's ex-wife Mellie; they lie and they're mean. They pretend to be nice but they aren't. We didn't want her to stay with us but Sarah insisted."

"Well maybe Sarah was just trying to be nice," Olivia said objectively. She was trying to be as neutral about the situation as possible.

"Sarah almost put her in the room next to Uncle Fitz's but we told her that room wasn't ready for guests and she put her at the far end of the hallway," Alex said as she drank the juice Olivia poured for her.

"Yeah and it was a good thing because I woke up in the middle of the night to get some water and saw her trying to get into his room. And she was dressed in some really slutty pajamas," Cassie said. Olivia almost dropped a plate at the revelation. What would've happened if Fitz had been at home, in his own bed? She shook her head at the horrifying thought. She schooled her emotions and tried not to appear too disturbed. She kept her voice calm and unengaged as she asked more questions; her own curiosity now piqued.

"What did you do Cassie?"

"I asked her what she was doing. She tried to play it off and say she was lost and then she went back to her room. She's shady and we don't trust her. She was trying to seduce Uncle Fitz and we know it."

"Seduce?" Olivia asked innocently. What did these girls know about seduction?

"Yep…she wanted to get him to have sex with her last night. She probably wants money from him or something like that," Cassie concluded and Alex nodded her head in agreement. Olivia was thankful that her back was turned to them so that they couldn't see the look of shock, surprise and anger play across her face.

"He won't give it to her though," Alex said.

"Why won't he give it to her?"

"Because their entire family are nothing but leeches. All they want is money and Uncle Fitz knows it."

"How do you know that?"

"We heard my dad and Uncle Fitz talking about it a couple of times….Golddiggers is what they called them."

"Mmmm, I see," Olivia said as she put the plates of food on the table and they began to eat. She half listened as they started talking about the kids in the Boys and Girls Club, still mulling over the information they divulged in her head.

XXXXXX

Fitz awoke feeling refreshed and well-rested. He reached for Olivia but the bed was empty. Then he heard the giggles coming from other room. He quickly got up put on his pants and a shirt before following the voices. The sight that greeted him made him smile; Olivia was playing Monopoly with the twins and as usual, Alex was suspected of cheating.

Olivia laughed and said, "But where did you get that extra money?"

Alex smiled sweetly and said, "I keep some stowed away….So anyway Cassie, you landed on my property, which means you owe me $750.00."

"I don't have that much," Cassie whined.

"Aww too bad…Give me all you have and I'll let you work for me. You can sweep up my property and make sure my houses are in proper order."

Olivia threw her head back and laughed out loud. She had never heard of such an arrangement. To the best of her knowledge, it wasn't part of the rules.

"Sounds like you all are having fun," Fitz said smiling at them from the doorway.

"Hi Uncle," the girls said in unison. But neither left the table for fear the other would do something to their property. They watched each other relentlessly.

"You hungry Fitz?" Olivia asked. She watched him as he walked over and planted a lingering kiss on her lips.

"I can definitely eat something," he said and the innuendo made her blush. "Girls put the game on pause for a minute." Fitz followed her into the kitchen.

"So we have company now," he joked.

"Yeah, I think they were worried about you; they're sweet," Olivia said as she fixed him a plate and warmed it in the microwave.

"You left me in bed….alone," he said with a smirk.

"You looked so cute sleeping…I couldn't disturb you," she said smiling.

"Did you just call me cute?" he asked as he cornered her in the kitchen out of the view of the twins. His hands were everywhere before settling on her ass. He slipped his hands in side her leggings; feeling for her lacy underwear.

She smiled. "I did but I can easily replace it with sexy."

"Have I told you how much I love your ass?" he whispered in her ear and was satisfied to feel her shiver in his arms.

She was about to respond when the microwave bell dinged to alert them that his food was ready; forcing them to reluctantly pull apart.

XXXXXX

She was missing them already and they hadn't yet left her home. It was time for them to go and she fought the urge to be clingy. She had truly enjoyed spending time with him and girls. Sarah arrived to escort the twins home and they were all leaving together. They gave her and Fitz some privacy to say goodbye to each other.

"We didn't get a chance to talk about Jenny," Fitz said, searching her eyes for any uncertainty or doubt about him. He found none.

"It's OK Fitz; I trust you," she assured him. She realized that she had her own personal spies in the form of Alexandra and Cassandra and while she trusted Fitz, she did not trust Jenny but neither did the girls and therefore, they would be watching her like a hawk.

He smiled, "How did I get so lucky to find you?" It was a rhetorical question and he didn't expect her to answer. He hugged her to him and said, "I need to ask you a favor…I have a formal engagement next week in LA. I didn't really want to go but it's being put on by the studio and I have to attend for appearances sake." He felt her stiffen in his arms.

He pulled back and searched her eyes again; the brown orbs holding him captive; he never wanted to leave her. "Will you go with me?"

"Me?…I'm not….I don't," she had never socialized with his type of people – actors, actresses, directors and the like. She didn't know if she would fit in. A Vet from a sleepy town didn't exactly sound as exciting as what they did. What would they talk about? What would they think of her?

He gently squeezed her. "Liv, I want you with me…all in, remember….I need you with me."

She smiled. "Of course I'll go with you." All of a sudden she was excited to walk into a room on his arm. It was time to go shopping.


	6. Ripples From the Past

**Ripples from the Past**

"So, you and Fitz? I'm happy for you; never would have expected it…but I'm happy for you…really…I'm happy for you," Pauline said superficially; her fake smile emphasizing the falseness of her words. _She said "happy" three times in one breath,_Olivia thought as she took another sip of coffee.

As soon as she walked in the door on Monday morning, Pauline was ready to pounce.

"Yes," was the only response Olivia offered as she continued to type on her computer.

"Well…."

"Well what?" Olivia asked with both eyebrows raised.

"You're going to do things differently with him right?" Pauline tentatively asked and before Olivia could cut her off, she hurriedly continued, "I know you have this rule about not talking about your personal life but I'm seriously trying to help. I mean after the whole fiasco with Matthias, I was just thinking that maybe you should…."

"Pauline," Olivia said with an exasperated sigh. She was getting irritated, which she tended to do when anyone brought up Matthias. "There was no fiasco with Matthias. And what Fitz and I do in our relationship will continue to be no one else's business."

"You can't really think that Olivia, do you? I mean the man has become a local celebrity, people here love him and what passes as our local media loves him even more. Everywhere he goes he's in the spotlight, so if you're with him, you will be too."

Olivia hadn't seriously considered Fitz's local status. But she wasn't about to admit that to Pauline. "I know that but it is still possible to maintain our privacy."

There was a finality in her voice and Pauline thought it best to drop the subject. "If you say so….speaking of Matthias, I heard he confirmed and he's coming down for the 4th of July festivities."

Olivia shrugged in indifference. "Doesn't he always."

Pauline waited for Olivia to say more but when she didn't, she sighed in frustration and got up to leave. "Oh by the way Stephen called out again today. He said his schedule was light anyway. He had a long night last night, apparently….some new chick in town."

Olivia shook her head at Stephen's constant antics; he never seemed to want to grow up. "OK no problem," was all she said to Pauline as she left her office.

XXXXXX

Fitz was in a bad mood. His morning had not gone as planned. He tried to adjust his attitude before coming to pick her up for lunch but Olivia could immediately tell something wasn't right.

"Hey, what's wrong? Where are the girls?" Olivia asked after he gave her a simple peck on the lips.

"Sarah took them shopping…Dammit Liv, I'm so irritated…Jenny was supposed to go home, first thing today and I haven't seen her for hours. She didn't come home last night and I have no idea where she could be. Her clothes are still at the house though….This is just like Mellie's family – so damned inconsiderate and immature. She's probably delaying trying to leave so she can wheedle some money out of me."

"Fitz, calm down…what was the last thing she said to you?"

Fitz tried to remember what she told him last. Truthfully he rarely paid attention to anything she said; his efforts were spent mainly on trying to tune her out. Then it came to him, "She said she met some people down at the Marina and she was going to hang out with them; but that was yesterday afternoon."

Olivia thought about that for several moments and then she remembered something. "Come with me, I think I may know where she is." Olivia told Pauline she was stepping out for a bit and to call her if there was an emergency. She left the hospital with Fitz and headed to the docks.

"What are we doing here Liv?" Fitz asked.

Olivia walked him to Stephen's boat, "The Livvy". She heard Fitz groan behind her, evidently still not pleased with the name of the boat. But Olivia ignored it; she called out, "Stephen….Stephen….It's Liv….Stephen."

Stephen's head appeared; hair disheveled, undressed and eyes squinting from the sun. "Livvy, please, stop yelling! I'm right here….what is wrong with you."

"Who's on the boat with you Stephen?" Olivia asked in an even louder voice.

"Keep your voice down she's still sleeping," he pleaded as he struggled to keep the sheet wrapped around his waist with one hand while another blocked the blazing sun.

"What's her name Stephen?" Olivia asked sternly.

"Um.." Stephen was wracking his brain trying to remember the girl's name. He knew she told him but he couldn't remember what it was. He ran his hand through his hair and frowned.

Fitz knew that look, he shook his head and said, "You can't remember her name….OK what does she look like?"

"Dark hair, beautiful, prettiest green eyes you've ever seen," Stephen said with a dreamy look on his face.

Olivia and Fitz looked at each other and said, "We're coming aboard."

"Wait…What…No!" Stephen protested but it did no good because Fitz was already helping Olivia climb aboard.

Fitz went over and shook the sleeping form. "Jenny, Jenny wake up."

"That's right Jenny is her name," Stephen said, earning him a stern look from Olivia.

Jenny was groggy and barely had one eye open when she said, "What?" But when she saw Fitz standing over her she immediately sat up in bed but forgot to bring the sheet up with her; exposing her breasts to the entire group. Fitz groaned and turned his back, as did Olivia. Stephen just smiled in remembrance of their evening.

"Fitz what are you doing here? What's going on?"

"Jenny put some clothes on. We had a deal remember, you were supposed to be gone today. Back to LA."

Jenny sighed sharply, "Oh come on Fitz…it's rude of you to barge in here demanding that I leave today. You're not my daddy; you don't get to tell me when I can or cannot leave. I can stay here as long as I like." Jenny was angry. Her plan to get on Fitz's good side and encourage him to give her the money had backfired. He wasn't home long enough for her to do it. He stayed away and she rarely saw him. She was so angry she intentionally found a guy to spend the night with, hoping that it would make Fitz worry enough to want to help her but once again he didn't react the way she expected.

"Fine…you stay if you want, but not in my house. Come and get your shit today or it will be on the curb waiting for you," Fitz said as he and Olivia thought it safe to now turn back around and face her.

"Fine!..I can just stay here with Stephen, right Stephen?" she asked hopefully.

"Uh…sure love, I guess." Stephen wasn't too confident about the suggestion. As a rule, he didn't let women live with him; that wasn't his style but he realized he would look like a cad if he put her out now.

"Thank you Stephen…See Fitz, I don't need you…I'll come and get my things today. Now can you and your girlfriend please get off our boat?" she demanded.

_Our boat_, Stephen whispered to himself. What had he gotten himself into? It was just supposed to be a one-night stand with a hot girl; she was supposed to leave in the morning. Now she was staying and he didn't know how long. This would be a disaster and he knew it.

XXXXXX

"No Stephen…I said no; I'm not interfering."

"Come on Livvy…I can't do this anymore. She's a kid…she's immature. I need her off my boat."

"Stephen, it's only been a few days…How bad could it be?" Olivia asked trying not to laugh in his face. It was exactly what Stephen deserved; always playing with women's emotions and constant one-night stands was bound to catch up with him. In truth, Olivia enjoyed the arrangement. Since Jenny moved in, Stephen had been at the hospital early in the morning and leaving late at night. It was no doubt because he was trying to stay away from Jenny as long as possible and only going home when he was dead tired; but Olivia didn't care, she was happy that Stephen was finally pulling his weight. Besides, if this situation forced him to grow up, act like an adult and take some responsibility, then she was all for it.

"Olivia, she re-arranged the boat. She threw out a lot of my shit; claiming that she thought it was junk but she knew they were gifts from other women. She's jealous and possessive. She's there when I wake up and there when I go to bed at night….I'm suffocating. I can't do this!"

"Have you talked to her about leaving?"

"I did…she said she didn't have anything to go back home to and that maybe she should get a job so that she could permanently stay here…She can't stay here…I don't want her here. The sex wasn't that good!"

Olivia frowned in confusion. That wasn't the Jenny she was told about. Why would she want to stay here? Didn't she have some acting school she wanted to go to?

"Stephen did you tell Jenny about your family?"

"I didn't have to…she's been snooping through all my stuff! And one night she grilled me for hours about my family's castle in Scotland; their estate in San Simeon; she's so nosey!...I swear Liv if you don't talk to Fitz about taking her off my hands, I don't know what I'll do."

It was obvious Jenny traded one money pot for another. Olivia predicted that she was soon going to ask Stephen for the money needed to fund her acting school education. She took pity on Stephen; he looked so miserable. "I will talk to Fitz but not this weekend. We're leaving to LA this weekend. I'll talk to him when we get back."

"Well since you're leaving can she go…"

"No, absolutely not. If she wants to go back to LA she can go anytime; we are not about to force her to get on the boat with us."

"Well if Fitz is leaving for the weekend, his house is empty, maybe she can…."

"No, it won't work Stephen. Fitz does not trust her; he won't let her stay in his house….just be patient. We'll figure this out when we get back."

Stephen hoped he could last that long.

XXXXXX

"_Well you know how she is; I hope she can make him happy"_

"_I don't know, she couldn't even hold on to her fiancée"_

"_He's a rich Hollywood type, how can she compete with all those beautiful, sophisticated women"_

"_He's a real asset to the island; I hope she doesn't run him away like she did poor Matthias"_

"_It was such a shame, I really liked Matthias. Everybody liked Matthias"_

"_We can't let her do that this time. If something happens and one of them wants to leave, it needs to be her"_

Everywhere she went; it seemed to Olivia that people were speculating about her relationship with Fitz. The whispered voices; the hushed gossip but she heard it just as loud as if it was announced through a bullhorn. She even overheard Pauline talking about it over the phone with God knows who. The expectation of failure was permeating. As much as she tried to ignore it, not to let it get to her, it was starting to drive her crazy.

"So you're going to meet me in LA?" Olivia said to her cousin Kelsey through SKYPE. Kelsey agreed to come down and help Olivia get prepared for the event. She wanted to take extra care with her appearance to make a good impression.

"Yes I'll be there. I got the dress and it will be delivered to the address you gave me on Saturday morning. I gave the stylists the address too; she'll be there. Hair, makeup, dress, and accessories…everything's covered Liv…I told you…It's handled."

"OK, thank you so much Kelsey. I appreciate you coming through on this for me and at the last minute."

"Are you kidding me? This is what I love to do. Fashion is my thing….So stop worrying, you are going to look amazing." Kelsey was excited, but Olivia didn't share her joy. "What's wrong Liv?"

"It's nothing…I just…I don't know Kelsey," she started before taking another gulp from her wine glass. "I'm not exactly the kind of woman people would expect to be on his arm."

"Why because you're beautiful, accomplished and intelligent? I don't get it," Kelsey joked.

"I'm a vet from Catalina Island, which is not at all accomplished when you compare it to actors, actresses, directors and whatnot. And I'm black." Kelsey was the only person that Olivia felt comfortable enough to be honest about her insecurities.

"Liv come on….this man sought you out, not the other way around. Don't you think if he wanted one of those kind of people he would be with them? He doesn't, they weren't giving him what he needed and he found that in you. And as far as you being black…what's the problem? You've dated outside your race before."

"I know but not with so much attention on it. Already all eyes are on us in Catalina. Now I have to prepare myself for the snide, back-handed racist comments from people who have no problem saying it to my face."

"Stop worrying…if someone gets out of line then you need to bring back the "Gladiator Olivia" from college. They can't handle her," Kelsey laughed.

"No one can handle her, that's why I put her away a long time ago," Olivia laughed with her.

"Seriously Liv, stop feeling sorry for yourself. This is not you. Get your head right and stop being so worried about what other people think. Walk in there on Fitz's arm like you too own the world."

XXXXXX

Fitz was barely paying attention to the conversation with Olivia and the girls as they rode the express boat back to LA. He didn't want to let on but he was worried about Olivia. For one, the Grant Family wasn't exactly the best group of people to be around. He loved his family but they weren't picture perfect. His mother and father fought constantly; snide, biting, sarcastic remarks, through clenched teeth and false smiles. And his father was dominating and over-bearing. He wished his brother were here; that would take some of the heat off. But the twins being there should soften them a bit; they tried to be on their best behavior in front of their grandchildren, most of the time.

He could see the hesitation in Olivia's eyes when he asked her to go with him. He knew she felt awkward attending, rubbing elbows with his peers, but he hoped that once she got there she would start to relax and become more comfortable. He would make sure to keep her at his side and watch over her. He knew her fear could cause her to run and he wasn't going to let her go. It wasn't an option.

When they arrived at the dock in LA, there was a car there to meet them. They went to his parent's home first. Fitz's plan was to drop the twins off, let them spend the weekend with their grandparents; do a quick meet and greet and get the hell out of there. He wanted to get Olivia back to his home in Silver Lake. Fitz cursed to himself when he realized his parents had other ideas.

"So Olivia, Fitz and the girls have done nothing but sing your praises…it is such a pleasure to meet you," Ellen Grant said as her eyes beamed at Olivia while drinking her tea.

"Thank you Mrs. Grant, it is a pleasure to meet you as well."

"No Mrs. Grant, please call me Elle," she said as she patted Olivia's hand. The twins had gone upstairs to get settled in and Fitz and his father were already in a closed door discussion.

"Of course. Elle," Olivia said as she smiled in return, starting to feel at ease. Although, she was older, it was clear that Elle Grant had beautiful features – striking eyes, high cheekbones, warm smile. She was a thin woman with height; several inches taller than Olivia.

"Have you ever been married?" Elle asked.

"No I haven't," Olivia quickly responded.

"Ah but you've come close haven't you? I can see it in your eyes; the pain is still there."

Olivia's eyes widened at her perceptiveness; she couldn't deny it and didn't know how to respond.

"Is my son the rebound?" she asked bluntly.

"Absolutely not," Olivia said as she shook her head vehemently. Elle was satisfied and smiled brightly.

"Good…You will find Olivia that I am very protective of my sons. Fitz's first wife….well let's not speak of her; just know that I hated the bitch and I almost turned cartwheels when they got divorced. Even Jackson's wife, I can only tolerate for so long because she doesn't always treat my son right. But she gave me two grandchildren for which I am eternally grateful…Although I would love to have more."

With the last pointed statement, Olivia gulped her tea too fast and almost choked. _Oh no._

Elle laughed. "I'm a very honest person Olivia; I believe in straight-forward talk; in this family it's the only way to survive. My husband is an asshole and I learned a long time ago that if I don't speak up, he'd walk all over me….Don't worry though Fitz is nothing like him; he got the best qualities out of both of us."

XXXXXX

"What is this for?" Fitz asked as his father gave him a USB flash drive.

"There's a screenplay on it….Cyrus sent it over for you. You should read it; it's good; it's brilliant. You need to get on it. Read it; tell Cyrus you're in as soon as possible. They don't have any directors lined up but once word gets out I'm sure everyone will want the spot."

"I already had a script sent to me that I'm thinking about taking. It starts filming next year in LA." Fitz wanted to stay close to home. Now was not the time for him to go on location to a faraway place for an extended period of time.

"This one is it son…I'm telling you. Once you do this one, you can write your ticket to any film you want to do here on out. They'll be begging you to do films. Just read through the first 20 pages, you'll see what I mean. You're going to want to do it….I promise. We'll talk about it more after dinner."

"Dinner? Liv and I aren't staying. I just came so you could meet her but we're leaving. We'll be back to get the twins before we get on the boat."

"Fitzgerald, your mother went through a lot of trouble to make sure Olivia felt at ease and comfortable; the least you could do is not rush off and allow us to spend a little time getting to know her. One dinner won't hurt."

Fitz groaned. His plans for a quiet dinner with Olivia were now derailed.

"She's beautiful son. I just didn't know…I didn't know you liked black women."

Fitz closed his eyes and prayed for patience, "I like women Gerry, regardless of their race. And its comments like those that are seriously making me regret my decision to stay for dinner."

XXXXXX

Fitz almost thought dinner would be uneventful; he almost thought he and Olivia could escape unscathed but this was the Grant household and therefore, things were never easy. Gerry made sure life was never easy.

"So Olivia, have you had other interracial relationships besides Fitz?"

The question came like a douse of cold water interrupting everyone else's laughter at a story Elle was telling. Awkward and uncomfortable; the entire table went silent. Fitz clenched his fists ready to pounce on Gerry for the insensitive comment when he felt Olivia's hand on his thigh. The touch was unexpected but calming; his shoulders visibly relaxed as he took a deep breath.

"I have Gerry. But since we are a man and a woman first and foremost, then relationships, despite the person's nationality, are all really the same. We all want the same thing – love, consideration and companionship. Don't you think?"

Gerry shrugged. "In theory possibly but you can't be naïve enough to think that everyone thinks the same as you do. Are you prepared for the criticism you may receive or for that matter the affect it may have on Fitz and his career?"

"Dammit Gerry! This is why I didn't want to stay…."Fitz was yelling and about to leave the table but Olivia quickly stopped him.

"It's OK Fitz, I don't mind answering his question," Olivia began calmly before turning her attention back to Gerry. "No Gerry I'm not naïve; believe it or not I've been black all my life so I'm very familiar with prejudice and discrimination. I've even experienced it a time or two," she said sarcastically.

She smiled as she continued, "But I can tell that your ultimate concern is the affect my race may have on Fitz's career and to answer your question: No, I really don't care." She watched as his eyes bulged as her response was completely unexpected.

"The reason I don't care is because any person who is ridiculous enough to ignore Fitz's obvious talent and refuse him a job merely because of the race of the woman who is on his arm doesn't deserve to have their own job. They don't deserve to be reasoned with or given any consideration. As a matter of fact that type of person doesn't even deserve to breathe the same air as the rest of us but I don't want to be dogmatic about it."

"Burn!" Alex and Cassie said at the same time as they giggled at their grandfather's obvious embarrassment. Fitz beamed with pride at her boldness; never having experienced this side of her before. Gerry, for his part, had no idea what the twins meant but he didn't like that they were laughing at him, so he was sufficiently silenced.

XXXXXX

"You want a drink," Gerry offered to Fitz as he stood in the doorway of the study.

"No I don't. I want to get the hell out of here. You're an asshole and I don't want to stay any longer than I have to," Fitz responded as he remained in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Hey watch your tone. I may be an asshole but I'm your father and I'm only looking out for my family. What I said to Olivia was not an insult; it's the harsh truth of reality. It's what you need to be prepared to deal with from others. So if you can't stand it then maybe you need to rethink being in a relationship with her."

"I'm not having this discussion with you. Say what you need to say so I can leave."

"Did you read the script?"

"I did and I liked it," Fitz said unenthusiastically. In actuality he poured through the first 50 pages and loved the script. He wanted to do the film but he didn't want to give Gerry the satisfaction of showing it.

"The studio is offering you double for directing it."

Reluctantly, Fitz walked in the study and closed the door behind him. "Double? And they want me? Why?" He was suspicious of the offer. There were a variety of directors who could do this film. Although his father owned the studio, he didn't make final decisions alone. There was a board of executives that even he had to answer to.

"It has nothing to do with me. I didn't strong arm anyone into considering you. They've seen your work; Cyrus promoted your talent to them and they want it done by you. Stop being so suspicious; you've earned this opportunity. You worked hard and you deserve to be recognized."

"Have they made any recommendations on the lead actors?"

"Recommendations? No. Stipulations? Yes. Only one really, just one….They want Mellie as the lead actress." Fitz was already shaking his head "No" but Gerry continued undeterred. "Fitz you are a professional director, did you really think you would continue in this business without ever having to work with your ex-wife? She is a talented A-list actress and she would be absolutely great for the role. If you would take your personal feelings out of it, you would agree with me."

He watched as Fitz walked over and poured himself a glass of scotch; quickly downed it and poured another.

"Besides the studio suffered a lot of bad press from the allegations made by Mellie during your horrible, messy divorce. Working with her now shows the public that there are no hard feelings; no bad blood. It would be good press. And with you as the director, well, that makes it even better. It's a win-win for everyone."

_A win-win for everyone except him_, Fitz thought. The early estimations were that it would be at least a 9 month shoot on location in England and France. How would he handle working with Mellie again? And for so long, in another country, so far from home? And how would this affect his relationship with Olivia?

**(A/N: Hello all. I know this story has been slow in updating and I do appreciate your patience with me. I hope you enjoyed this chapter where you got a little more information about Olivia's ex-fiancee; who's coming back to Catalina soon. Stephen is in trouble with Jenny:) And you also met Olivia's cousin and Fitz's parents. What do you think? Should he take the job, working with Mellie on location for 9 months minimum?**

**I would love to hear you thoughts, comments, feedback, predictions. Thanks again for continuing to be interested in this story.)**


	7. Music, Memories and Nightmares

**Music, Memories and Nightmares**

"Why aren't you asleep?" Olivia asked as she stood in the doorway of his bedroom.

It was 2AM and she couldn't sleep. After spending hours tossing, turning, checking emails on her phone, she gave up, realizing that she would not be rewarded with a good night's sleep. After leaving the bathroom, she noticed that the light was on in his bedroom, the door was open and there was the low sound of music playing – _My One and Only Love, John Coltrane. _

Fitz looked up at her and smiled. His large bedroom had a sitting area where he sat on the couch with his feet propped up on the table. The TV was on mute but he wasn't paying any particular attention to what was on. The music in the background was more of a comfort.

He shrugged and said, "Just a few things on my mind."

"You want to talk about it?" she suggested as she took several steps inside. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that his bed was still made, so even though he was dressed in pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, he hadn't even tried to go to sleep.

Ever since they left his parent's house, Fitz had been more quiet than usual. He was polite but withdrawn. Olivia was impressed by his 1920's Spanish Colonial revival-style multi-level home. She complimented him on the beauty of the structure but, while he expressed appreciation for her admiration, his responses continued to be brief, plain and lifeless. She knew something was wrong but didn't pressure him to talk about it. Eventually, he showed her to her guest quarters and with a simple kiss on the cheek, he retired for the evening.

He extended an invitation to her, "Come sit next to me."

Olivia didn't know why the simple request sent chills down her spine. Was it an invitation to something more? Her mind was racing with sensual thoughts as she unconsciously licked her lips realizing that the gleam in his eye was possibly due to her flimsy chemise nightgown, transparent and giving clear indication that she was entirely naked underneath.

Yet, without hesitation, she walked closer and sat next to him. So comfortable in his quiet appraisal of her beauty that she did not attempt to adjust her night dress when it rode higher on her thighs as she sat.

Immediately as she sat, Fitz pulled her to his side and placed his arm around her. "That's better," he breathed as if he had finally found the relief he needed because she was sharing this space with him.

She buried herself into his side. "mmmm, you smell good. Have I told you how good you smell?"

He chuckled, "No but thank you."

_A Sentimental Mood – Duke Ellington_

Olivia gasped as she heard the song play through his sound system. It was one of her favorites. Her father used to play it when she was younger and ever since then she absolutely loved it; the high it gave her; the feeling of floating, almost as if she was riding a cloud. When life got difficult it was one of the songs that she could sit and listen to for hours, meditate and gain clarity.

"I have loved this song ever since I was a little girl." After several moments of silence, Olivia broached the topic again, "Are you sure you don't want to talk about what's on your mind?"

Through a deep breath, Fitz said, "We'll talk about it, just not tonight…not this weekend."

"I don't like seeing you like this…you seem…sad."

"It'll pass…it's already passing because you're here with me."

Olivia smiled at his sweetness and buried into his chest even more as if she could get any closer to him.

_How Can You Mend A Broken Heart – Al Green_

She was admiring his music collection. "I didn't know you were such an admirer of music."

He chuckled at her surprised tone. "Music is like color; without it everything is dull, bland and common. When I do a film, it's the music that adds another layer; a different feeling to the visual scenery. It creates feelings, emotions and sentiments. It attaches itself to the moment and when you hear the song again you're automatically, subconsciously transported back to another time and place in your memory…For example what do you think of when you hear this song?"

Olivia paused for several beats before responding, "Heartbreak and the sadness that comes with it…trying to recover and move on." A memory threatened to rear its ugly head but she pushed it back down.

Fitz knew she was speaking from experience. "And what do you think Liv? Do you think I'll break your heart?"

The question was unexpected and she looked up at him with wide eyes, searching his features; looking for his reason for asking. She was speechless; unsure of how to answer the question; unable to formulate a complete thought. His cerulean blues were too searching; too demanding; too hypnotic.

He hadn't really expected her to answer. He didn't need it. Her reticence was expected and it didn't bother him. He caressed her face, enjoying the feel of her skin as it warmed under his touch. He wanted to tell her how he felt; that he was falling in love with her but it was too soon. He couldn't yet judge whether she was ready to hear the words so he kept them inside. Instead, opting to show her how he felt.

Fitz thought he would never get enough of her; the rich, full lips that beckoned him; the imprint they left on him even when they were apart. He thought to be gentle, enjoy the moment when his lips met hers but somehow the magnetism between them became too powerful; the pull too great to be harnessed. Before he knew it the kiss had deepened beyond anything he felt before; her passion rivaling his own; the giving and the taking; reciprocation begetting satisfaction.

Olivia whimpered into his mouth; a sure tell that she wanted, nay needed more from him. She was on fire. They had toyed with the idea of complete intimacy before but she was ready to finish what they had started. She was ready to feel the depth of his desire for her; a preview of the love that she hoped would follow.

_And how can you mend a broken heart? * How can you stop the rain from falling down?_

Effortlessly, Fitz lifted her and placed her in his lap, allowing her to straddle him. He felt her bare bottom overflowing in his hands and growled. Feeling her body was like pure, unadulterated heaven; the pleasure of her warm glowing skin already filling his senses. He temporarily left her lips for the hallow crevice located right behind her earlobe; a soft, sensitive area that he could worship.

Olivia leaned her head over to give him greater access. She grabbed his shoulders, needing the support to remain upright, lest she fall. She could feel the evidence of his growing arousal pressing against her center and she began to move; a circular rhythm that made him harden immediately as her wetness began seeping through his pants.

He pulled away from her briefly and removed her chemise. She sat in front of him completely naked; he fully clothed. An embarrassment tried to creep up on her but he coaxed her out of it.

"You're so beautiful….so amazingly beautiful," he said, looking deep into her eyes and it earned him adoring smile.

He picked her up, holding her close to him as he got off the couch and walked them over to the bed. He gently laid her down; never breaking eye contact as he quickly removed his shirt and then his pants. He looked for any hint of hesitation, doubt on her part but when she bit her lip as she ran her hand through his light chest hair, he knew she wanted this too.

There's always that first moment. The first time; the foremost memory being captured. When bodies are flushed against each other; nothing to separate them; nothing to encumber the feeling. And in that moment, time itself stops progressing; the earth stops spinning; everything remains motionless as you wonder how you ever lived life without the touch of this person warming you, filling you from the inside out. It's almost as if you were now reborn and ready to live.

_Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again._

Before they got too carried away, Fitz reached for the drawer of his nightstand to pull out a condom. Olivia stayed his hand, "It's OK, we don't need it." His eyebrows rose in question; they had already discussed previous partners and STD testing but he didn't know if she was already on birth control. She smiled in reassurance and his features relaxed.

"We're OK?" he asked.

She kept smiling, "We're OK."

His smiled widened as he rejoined her in bed. He had to admit that he much preferred sex without the condom but if he needed it to prevent a pregnancy he was happy to do it. He was thankful, though, that he didn't have to.

"I want to taste you Liv….will you let me taste you?"

Her eyes watered and her mouth went dry in anticipation of the feeling he would create within her. She couldn't speak; there was no yea or nay. In her eyes there was only a plea, _Please_.

She watched as he praised her body and it reacted to his attention by arching, quivering and screaming for everything he could give.

XXXXXX

"You must be Kelsey," Fitz said as he welcomed Olivia's cousin at the front door before taking her bags and inviting her into his home.

Kelsey slowly removed her sunglasses and stared at him; words were stuck in her throat and that never, ever happened. "Um yes, I'm Kelsey, Olivia's cousin and you are Fitz. It's very, very nice to meet you." _He's so damned attractive and the eyes, dammit the eyes, the way he stares at you is really too much._ Kelsey realized she was holding a conversation with herself inside her head and more than likely looked like an idiot. She shook her head to clear her mind. She held out her hand to shake his, a nice save, she thought.

Fitz chuckled and shook her hand. "So I take it all this is for Liv's preparation for tonight?" he asked as he motioned to a variety of shopping bags Kelsey brought in with her.

"Well Liv is a natural beauty and you….well….you know what you are," she began before clearing her throat, "but I will make sure she looks like amazing tonight."

Fitz thought she bore a slight resemblance to Olivia but she kept eyeing him suspiciously as if she was looking for some type of flaw or indication of character.

"So Kelsey are you hungry? Would you like some coffee?"

"Sure."

"Follow me," Fitz said as he led her into the kitchen.

"Where's your housekeeper or cook?" Kelsey asked as she saw all cooked food.

Fitz chuckled. "Why do I look like I can't cook?" he teased.

"Umm, no offense, but yeah, you do."

"Well I'll tell you if I cooked it after you taste it," Fitz said as he set a plate of eggs, bacon, French toast with a side of fruit in front of her.

Fitz poured himself coffee as she began to eat.

"This is very good…I'm impressed."

"Thank you…I aim to please," he joked.

"So where's Liv?"

"Still sleeping," he said. Kelsey raised an eyebrow at that response and he smirked at her. She let the unspoken explanation go unquestioned.

"OK…well since we have some time, tell me about yourself Fitz."

They spent the next 30 minutes talking and sharing their backgrounds. They got along well. Fitz thought Kelsey was funny; she was a talker; she said whatever was on her mind; she was not at all shy or intimidated. He learned more about her background in fashion and was surprised to find out how successful she had been – owning two boutiques while working as a fashion stylist on music video and television sets.

"Are you coming to Catalina to visit anytime soon?" Fitz asked.

"Well," Kelsey started as she ran her hand over face in disappointment. "I usually spend the holidays with Liv but this year, I can't and she's going to kill me. I accepted a job offer in Monaco. I leave in September and I'll be gone until after New Year's. I feel so bad; I hate for her to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas alone…But hey, she has you now right?"

"Yes, she has me," Fitz said unconvincingly into his coffee cup. If he took the job he was being offered, he too would be gone during the holidays; filming on location. He now felt worse, thinking that he too would be abandoning Olivia during the holidays.

"Kelsey, you're here," Olivia said cheerfully as she entered the kitchen and gave her cousin a warm hug. "How was your flight?"

"Everything was great…no problem. Fitz cooked you breakfast," Kelsey prompted.

Olivia looked at Fitz, a blush forming over her face. Some of the things they did last night, while making her body hum in delight, in the light of day left her slightly embarrassed at the memory. "Good Morning Fitz, you cooked all this yourself?"

"Why does everyone doubt my cooking skills?" Fitz joked as he walked over and kissed her full on the lips, intentionally running his tongue on the outside of her lips before releasing her. He left her slightly dazed.

"You've never cooked for me before," Olivia said when she recovered.

"Only because you insist on doing it all the time and I love watching you cook," he said sweetly. She tried to move out of his embrace but he wouldn't let her, not yet. "I have to run a few errands and go to the studio; I'll be back a little later."

"OK," was all Olivia could say. He smiled kissed her again before walking out of the kitchen.

"See you later Kelsey," he called back.

"Late," Kelsey responded.

When she was sure he was out of earshot, Kelsey said, "Forgive me one moment of craziness but that is one sexy ass man. I envy you as the woman who gets to screw him every single got damned day and two times on Sunday….whew." Kelsey was getting heated and started to fan herself.

Olivia laughed at her cousin's crude remarks but in her mind she couldn't help but agree with Kelsey's assessment of the man and the opportunity that lay before her.

XXXXXX

"Liv, I'm….I'm…I can't find the words. You look absolutely gorgeous….Look at you girl…your're beautiful in every way."

Olivia smiled as she looked herself over in the mirror. Without conceit, she had to admit that she was pleased with her appearance. Her cousin had certainly come through with everything. The dress was much more than she could ever expect – a long form-fitted Dior black and white strapless gown with a deep V-cut and a peplum bodice. "Thank you Kelsey…I don't know how I would have pulled this off without you."

"Hey…I would do anything for you…you know that."

"I'm going to miss you over the holidays," Olivia said. "But I expect you to give me all the details about your exciting trip, especially about the men….the culture and the food, OK…but mainly the men."

Kelsey laughed, "You know I will; a play-by-play with all the nasty details. Maybe I'll find my own version of Fitz."

"You're crazy," Olivia joked.

"At least you have him Liv. Fitz will be with you for the holidays; it'll be your first together so it's good that I won't be there. Then you can really enjoy it together…I seriously cannot wait to see the look on his face when he sees you," Kelsey was giddy with excitement.

Olivia continued to admire herself in the mirror as Kelsey started packing up the excess items over the room. "You really think he'll like it."

The doubt and uncertainty was present like an undercurrent, lying beneath the surface. And Kelsey heard it.

"Liv he's going to love it," Kelsey said quickly. Then she stopped and looked at Olivia through the mirror, a sudden thought coming into her head. "Liv…have you told him?"

Olivia caught her eyes and then looked away in distress. Her silence was the answer.

"Oh Liv," Kelsey said sadly as she walked over and rubbed her cousin's arms as a measure of comfort and encouragement. "When are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know…I mean, when do you tell the person you care about something as big as this, on the 5th, 6th, 7th date. When is the right time?...I don't even know if Fitz and I will go the distance. I mean we're both having fun now but I don't know what this will turn into…anything could happen. Our relationship is still so fresh and new that I don't think…I just don't think this is the time."

"He's nothing like Matthias. You know that don't you."

"I do; at least my mind does…but Matthias was OK with it in the beginning too, he said he was OK and then he wasn't and then he changed and then he wanted someone else. And I covered it up; I said it was a mutual decision; I never spoke about him cheating but guess who everyone blames for our break-up: Me. I'm the pitiful woman who couldn't keep her man."

"Olivia, your emotions are all over the place and you need to stop and breathe. One, you will need to tell Fitz before the relationship gets so deep that he feels you lied to him; misled him about something as important as this. Two, I've seen Fitz with you; I've seen the way he looks at you. I've never seen anything like that in my life. The chemistry between you two is undeniable. People would go a lifetime trying to find that in a partner. Stop underestimating him. Three, let yourself feel. Trust what you feel for him. Unless he has given you reason to believe otherwise, trust him. Four, I've told you a million times Matthias is a punk-ass jerk and the sooner you realize that the break up was a good thing the better. And five, I really can't see how you can stand living on that island with all those ridiculously nosey people who don't have a life of their own and always looking to get into your business."

When Olivia started laughing at the last part of her countdown, Kelsey felt like she had done her job. Even if it was temporary, she had diverted Olivia's attention; not allowing her to fall into a funk of 'woe-is-me' but lifting her spirits for the time being. Kelsey would have to trust Fitz to do the rest.

XXXXXX

When Olivia descended the stair case both she and Kelsey halted midway; frozen at the sight before them. Fitz was turned away from them, on the phone, laughing, so they were able to watch him unobserved. She had never seen him in a tux and he looked unbelievable. Olivia and Kelsey looked at each other with wide eyes, smiles of admiration on their faces. They could appreciate a beautiful man and here was one standing before them. He was immaculately put together as if he just stepped out of the pages of the latest GQ magazine.

Kelsey leaned over and whispered in Olivia's ear, "Damn girl, you've got to be the luckiest woman in the world."

Kelsey descended the stairs and cleared her throat, drawing Fitz's attention. When he turned and looked at Olivia, his mouth dropped. Every time was like the first time; her beauty still rendering him momentarily tongue-tied and silenced. Someone was still talking to him over the phone but he disconnected it quickly and put his phone away. She was amazingly beautiful; an over-used word and really inadequate in describing her and the affect she had over him.

"Liv, you look…phenomenal, stunning, really."

Olivia smiled under the praise; pleased that her appearance evoked the desired reaction. She glanced at her cousin and winked at her.

XXXXXX

She had imagined various scenarios of how she would act; how she would feel at this exact moment but it paled in comparison to reality. Fitz's look of resplendent adoration bolstered her confidence so that as he helped her from the back of the car; lights bulbs blaring and cameras flashing in their faces; she felt no fear; no apprehension. She remembered the smiles and poses she practiced with Kelsey and went into a mode.

Just before they went inside the venue, Olivia stopped Fitz and said, "I just want to say thank you. I'll always remember this evening. You have made me feel incredibly beautiful and in case I don't remember to say it later; I'm having a great time and I'm happy to be here….with you."

Fitz didn't know how to respond to her touching words; he was so moved by her genuine expression. He opened his mouth to say something; hoping to find the right sentiment to express himself but before he could say anything the doors opened and an usher was inviting them inside to assist in finding their seats.

XXXXXX

"Olivia, I'd like to introduce you to someone."

She turned to find Gerry and an African-American man with him. She managed a smile but she was immediately wary of anyone Gerry wanted to introduce her to. She didn't trust him.

"This is Edison…Edison Davis. He's one of the actors in the film Fitz just wrapped up."

Olivia shook hands with Edison and exchanged a greeting.

Gerry continued to sing Edison's praises to the Olivia; almost to the point where she felt nauseated. She eventually drowned her whole champagne glass trying to humor the conversation while planning an escape route.

Gerry then excused himself claiming to have a meeting that he needed to get to. A feigned excuse, Olivia knew.

Olivia could already tell that Edison expected her to fawn all over him. He was some type of well-known actor; used to fangirls gushing and screaming after him. But in all honesty she had no clue who he was; which seemed to work in her favor for most of the people in the room because, as she didn't know their celebrity status, they all seemed like regular people and she treated them as such.

"You finished your champagne, would you like another?" Edison asked politely.

"No, no thank you," Olivia responded. Her voice was kind but her body language screamed annoyance; he refused to take the hint.

"So I see you're here with Fitz Grant."

Since it wasn't a question, she didn't give it an answer.

"Funny, I really wouldn't take you as the type."

"Type, what type?" Olivia asked; a curious frown forming on her brow.

"Oh you know, the black woman seeking validation and acceptance on the arm of a white man. As if there aren't enough successful black men out here that would love to have a woman like you by their side…it's a shame really," shaking his head as he took another sip of his alcohol.

"You think you know me don't you?" Olivia challenged; amazed at his audacity to censure her.

"I know your type…I've lived in LA all my life…I've seen it all…I just don't get it."

"And when a black man dates outside his race is he seeking the same validation and acceptance?" she asked sarcastically.

"Well no…for him it's about power. And you can't really blame him because society has rendered him powerless for a variety of reasons, so one of the ways he chooses to exert himself is by claiming a white woman as his."

Olivia was fuming; she wanted to slap his smug face.

"You know Edison, I really think it's time that we end this conversation and please, please if we ever happen to be at the same event again, you will understand if I pretend that I don't know you."

"You're mad," he sighed as he blocked her exit, "I'm not trying to offend you Olivia. I think you're a gorgeous woman and you just deserve a whole lot more than to be some token piece in a man's life."

Because he wouldn't let her leave the conversation peacefully, she unleashed on him, "You have no idea who I am or what I am all about. Your comments are stupid, ridiculous and insulting. You show your ignorance when you talk so if I were you I wouldn't say anything that wasn't written in a script for me. You lack the ability to respect your boundaries and you foolishly speak on shit you know nothing about. I am not like every other black woman you **think** you know and I don't need you to ride in and save me, like some gotdamned damsel in distress. You are not my black knight and it's no use comparing your dick size with my man's because believe me you would come up short….Goodnight Edison."

XXXXXX

After Gerry gave an appreciation speech on behalf of the studio, Fitz apologized for having to step away for a brief meeting. Olivia kindly danced with several other men at the party while completely ignoring all the continued advances from Edison Davis. She needed a breath of fresh air.

She went out on the patio and let the night air hit her skin. She heard voices in the distance and immediately recognized it as Fitz. Why would Fitz be meeting with someone out here? She followed the sound of his voice – _Mellie tell me what the hell you want_. He was talking to his ex-wife. _Why hadn't she seen her all evening?_ Olivia thought.

She found them talking in the garden. She probably should have walked back into the venue and leave them to their privacy but she couldn't leave; she couldn't make herself walk away; she needed to hear what they were talking about. She remained hidden, straining to listen to the rest of the conversation.

"There is no need to be hostile Fitz…I wanted to tell you congratulations on getting the directing job; I was pulling for you too. I'm excited; it'll be just like old times; you directing, me acting; filming on location – London and Paris for 9 months is going to be heaven."

"Whatever," Fitz said flippantly; his irritation evident. "You still haven't told me what you want," Fitz continued coldly. He wasn't going to stand here and bring up memories from a past he was trying to erase.

Mellie frowned. She was trying to be nice but he wasn't responding in kind. He was still closed off and mean. She sighed in frustration.

Mellie had made a huge mistake. She thought divorcing Fitz would be the best thing for her; convinced that something better was in her future; only to find that life without him was cold and empty. She knew he still held a grudge for the way she handled the divorce but she realized her lashing out had more to do with her inability to handle her conflicting emotions as they reached the final point where their relationship would be completely, irrevocably severed. She wanted him back and she would keep trying until she won him over.

She knew he came here with another woman and she deliberately kept herself secluded from them. She didn't want to know the woman's name; she didn't want to know anything about her. She was probably a very nice person but she held no relevance in this situation. She and Fitz had a history; they knew each other; they loved each other and they could love again.

"Do you remember when we were married; we talked about having kids – a boy and a girl?"

"I remember I talked about children; you said that kids would ruin your figure and your career and you refused to even consider the idea."

"That can't be true Fitz," she said giggling sweetly as she took a step closer to him before continuing, "I've been doing some thinking about where I see my life going and I've made a decision….I want…I want to have a child."

Fitz frowned at her, still unsure of why she was saying this to him. She hurried to continue, "Not right now; not with the film coming up. I want to plan this out properly. I think when the film wraps up I want to start trying. I'm not getting any younger and I want to have at least one child before I get too old." She chuckled awkwardly; looking up at him, hoping that he got her point but she couldn't read his expression.

"I'm not saying that we need to sleep together…I want to get artificially inseminated and I...I need a donor. So I was hoping that you would consider donating…I would prefer the sperm from someone that I knew and I could ensure was from a good family background. We could even sign some type of contract on what role you wanted to play in the child's life afterwards. But I would like you….Fitz I would like you to be the father of my child."

Olivia gasped a bit loudly. She couldn't believe what she heard. What kind of woman would make a proposition like that to her ex-husband! She seemed to be in another world; where people said the most outlandish things. She knew she drew attention to herself, as both Mellie and Fitz turned in her direction. They couldn't quite see her and she rushed to escape unnoticed. She took off back to the main hall unaware that Fitz was on her heels, until he called out "Olivia…Liv."

**(A/N: Hello readers. I have some news: I am going to focus on this story for a while until I can get it fully developed and/or finished. I hope you won't be too mad at me about the other two stories. I will get back to them but I realized that I need to focus on one at time. My schedule will not allow me to do more at this time, I'm sorry.**

**The episode - I have NOT seen the episode on purpose. I'm on the west coast and I happened to go on Twitter and read the posts prematurely. I'm so glad I did! If I had watched that episode without knowing what was going to happen I would have been wrecked. I do not do well processing rape scenes and that would have emotionally sent me to another place. As it stands now the commentary already has it weighing heavily on my mind. **

**There are a lot of varying opinions out there about the scene. I'd like to hear yours, if you care to share. Has anyone reflected on the episode "A Criminal, ****A Whore and Idiot and A Liar"? Does the interaction between Mellie and Gerry seem to reconcile with last episode's events? I'm genuinely interested in your thoughts. **

**I know I will watch the show, maybe tomorrow but I will be fast-forwarding past the scene. And honestly I am still trying to see the relevancy of adding that to the story line. This is no critique to Bellamy Young, who I'm sure did an absolutely fabulous job. I just question the reason, the relevancy and the consistency of adding this to the story line.**

**OK that's it...I'm done...Please feel free to add any comments, feedback or suggestions on the chapter too. What do you think Olivia's secret is? Thanks for reading, understanding and patiently entertaining my rants.)**


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